Chestnut & Sage Soup with Garlic Herb Crostini
A delicious winter soup that is full of flavour and great to serve at Holiday meals.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsps olive oil divided
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 sage leaves roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 1 small garlic clove finely chopped
- 1 L/2 pints vegetable broth/stock
- 400 g/14 oz cooked peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped, divided
- 100 ml/3 fl oz crème fraîche
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Garlic & Herb Crostini
- 1 ciabatta loaf sclied into 1cm/¼" thick pieces
- 1 garlic clove
- Olive oil
- Rosemary and sage finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive and the butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Sweat onions for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add chopped sage and garlic and sauté for one minute.
- Reserve a handful of chestnuts and add the rest to the pan with the vegetable broth/stock. Finely chop reserved chesnuts for serving
- Season with salt and pepper as required and increase the heat to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and use handhled blender to blend to a smooth consistency.
- Stir in crème fraîche and return to a low heat to warm through.
- Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a small fry pan and sauté some whole sage leaves for a few seconds until crisp. Drain on paper towel.
- Meanwhile make crostini. Lay ciabatti slices onto a greased baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 200C/400F/Gas 6 for 8-10 minutes until golden.
- Cut garlic clove in half and use the cut side to rub over the toasted bread. Sprinkle over chopped herbs.
- To serve soup, ladle into warmed bowls. Sprinkle chopped chestnuts, and top with a crostini and fried sage leaf.