Creamy Chestnut Soup with Pork Lardons

Author:

Jody Lee

Description

A creamy chestnut soup made with seasonal root veggies and blended with Crème fraîche and chestnuts. Then topped with pork lardons to serve.

250 g

Pork loin (Lean and diced)

10 g

Butter

40 g

Shallots (chopped )

2 t

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

100 g

Carrots (chopped)

160 g

Parsnips (chopped)

160 g

Turnips (chopped)

100 g

Roasted Chestnuts (Cooked and Shelled)

2 T

Chicken Stock (Condensed/Jelly or cube)

400 ml

Water

Bay Leaf

2 t

Thyme (dried)

30 g

Crème fraîche

1 t

Nutmeg (grated)

2 pn

Sea Salt

2 ds

Black Pepper

In a medium-size pan on a medium heat warm the extra virgin olive oil. Then sautè the shallot for 5 minutes with the bay leaf.
Prepare the vegetables. Peel and chop into small pieces and add them to the pan.
Pore in the water with the chicken stock cube, if using. Turn the heat to high and add half of the dried thyme, all of the nutmeg and sea salt and black pepper, and the roasted chestnuts.
Once the water's boiling, turn the heat down to simmer for 10 minutes or until all veggies and chestnuts are soft with a little bit.
Now add condensed chicken stock, if using. And remove the bay leaf. Then transfer to the blender or use a hand blender to blitz until smooth. Return the soup back into the pan and leave.
In a frying pan on a medium heat, melt the butter and add the remaining thyme and diced pork loin. Keep turning the pork pieces for 5 mins until cooked. In the meantime, return the heat to the soup.
Finally, stir the crème fraîche into the soup and serve into bowls and top with the pork lardons.