Name: Chestnut and Chorizo Soup (Sopa de castañas)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 20 saffron threads, infused in 3–4 tablespoons boiling water; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 large Spanish onion, diced; 1 medium carrot, diced; 4 tablespoons olive oil; sea salt and black pepper; 1 litre water; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 tomatoes, fresh or tinned, roughly chopped; 120 g mild cooking chorizo, cut into 1 cm cubes; 1 celery stick, thinly sliced; 2 small dried red chillies, crushed; 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves; 500 g cooked peeled chestnuts (fresh or vacuum-packed), roughly chopped

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Moro

By Samantha Clark and Samuel Clark

Published 2001

About

Forests of sweet chestnut thrive in the mountainous regions of Spain. This recipe combines some of the classic flavours of Spanish cooking to produce a warm, comforting and mildly spicy soup that is synonymous with the onset of autumn.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced

Method

In a large saucepan heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, chorizo and a pinch of salt and fry for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything caramelises and turns quite brown. This gives the soup a wonderfully rich colour and taste. Now add the garlic, cumin, thyme and chilli and cook for 1 more minute, followed by the tomato and, after about 2 minutes,