The Times Magazine - UK (2022-01-15)

38 The Times Magazine

CHESTNUT MUSHROOM

SOUP WITH SHERRY

AND TARRAGON

Serves 4

A play on the old-fashioned

cream of mushroom soup. The

sherry adds complexity and a

lovely nuttiness.

• 40ml olive oil


• 75g unsalted butter


• 500g (2 punnets) chestnut
  mushrooms, quartered


• 2 banana shallots, finely sliced


• 2 glasses of dry sherry


• 2 litres hot chicken stock


• 10 sprigs of tarragon,
  leaves removed and chopped,
  stalks reserved


• Salt and pepper


• 100ml crème fraîche, to serve

1.In a large pot, heat the olive oil

with the butter and when it starts

to foam, add the mushrooms. Fry

for 5-10 minutes; you are looking

for a nice roasted colour. Add the

shallots and sherry, bring to a boil

and scrape the bottom of the pan

with a wooden spoon, getting

all the caramelised mushroom

goodness into the broth. Add the

stock and tarragon stalks. Simmer,

uncovered, for 30 minutes.

2.Remove the tarragon stalks

from the soup and transfer it to

a blender. Allow to cool a little

and then blitz until very smooth.

Return the soup to a saucepan,

rectify the seasoning and reheat

until piping hot. Divide into

bowls, serving with a generous

spoonful of crème fraîche and

a sprinkling of tarragon.

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

WITH CAVOLO NERO

Serves 4

This is a really quick, easy soup

• and you can substitute the
  cavolo nero for another green such
  as curly kale or Savoy cabbage.


• 50ml olive oil


• 2 onions, peeled and sliced


• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
  and sliced


• 2 bay leaves


• ½ tsp crushed chilli


• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
  
  
  • 5 stick s of celery, diced
  
  
  • Salt
  
  
  • 2 x 400g tin of cannellini
    beans, rinsed and drained
  
  
  • 1 x 400g tin of flageolet beans,
    rinsed and drained
  
  
  • 1.75 litres vegetable stock (you
    can use Marigold bouillon
    powder if in a rush)
  
  
  • 1 large bunch of cavolo nero
    leaves, thick stem removed
    and roughly chopped
  
  
  • Cracked black pepper
  
  
  • Very good olive oil,
    for drizzling
  
  
  
  

1.Heat the olive oil in a large

saucepan. Add the onions, garlic,

bay leaves and chilli and sweat

for 5 minutes over a medium heat

without allowing them to colour.

Add the carrots and celery, season

with a little salt and sweat gently

for a further 45 minutes. Do not

allow the vegetables to colour:

this stage of the recipe is where

you are building the flavour

foundations and should not be

rushed. You are looking for a

lovely sweet vegetable “compote”.

2.Once satisfied with the

compote, add the beans and the

vegetable stock and bring to the

boil. Taste the broth. Depending

on the stock used, it may require

a little more seasoning. Add

the cavolo nero and simmer

for 5 more minutes.

3.Use a ladle to distribute the

soup between bowls and add

a generous amount of cracked

black pepper, straight from the

mill, and a really healthy glug

of the finest olive oil you can

get your hands on. Enjoy with

crusty bread. n

Eat!

SOUP