Chicken and chestnut shorba
Chef Sameer Taneja's rich and comforting shorba (the Indian word for soup) has a base of homemade chicken stock lightly spiced with cardamom and mace. He then thickens the soup with chestnuts and cream and finishes with shaved truffle and nasturtium leaves. A perfect example of the chef's ability to combine European and Indian cuisine.
Ingredients
Chicken and chestnut shorba
- 1kg chicken bones , or wings
- 100g of ginger , roughly chopped
- 2 white onions , roughly chopped
- 4 bird's eye chillies , green, chopped
- 1 celery stick , chopped
- 4 garlic cloves , bashed
- 1 bouquet garni, of 1 small bunch coriander stems, 2 bay leaves, 5 black peppercorns, 2 green cardamom pods, 1 blade of mace, all tied in muslin cloth
- 200ml of double cream
- 250g of vacuum packed cooked chestnuts
- 50g of unsalted butter
- 2 slices of white bread
- 50ml of olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
To finish
- truffle oil, to taste
- black truffle , shaved (optional)
- 8 vacuum packed cooked chestnuts , halved
- nasturtium leaves
Method
1
Begin by making a chicken stock. Place the bones or wings in a stock pot or large pan with the chopped vegetables, bouquet garni and 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1.5 hours, skimming when needed
- 1kg chicken bones , or wings
- 100g of ginger , cut into chunks
- 2 white onions , roughly chopped
- 1 celery stick , chopped
- 4 garlic cloves , bashed
- 1 bouquet garni, of 1 small bunch coriander stems, 2 bay leaves, 5 black peppercorns, 2 green cardamom pods, 1 blade of mace, all tied in muslin cloth
- 4 bird's eye chillies , (green) chopped
2
Towards the end of the cooking time for the stock, make the croutons. Preheat an oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Slice the bread into 2.5cm cubes and drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a tray and in the oven for 5–7 minutes or until crisp and golden
- 2 slices of white bread
- 50ml of olive oil
- black pepper
- salt
3
When the stock is ready, pass through a sieve into a clean pan – you should have around 1 litre of aromatic chicken stock. Place the stock back over the heat and add the cream and chestnuts. Bring to the boil and season with salt, then transfer to a blender and blitz with the butter into a smooth soup
- 200ml of double cream
- 50g of unsalted butter
- 250g of vacuum packed cooked chestnuts
4
Divide the soup between 4 bowls and garnish with the croutons, chestnuts, truffle oil and shavings and nasturtium leaves
- truffle oil, to taste
- nasturtium leaves
- 8 vacuum packed cooked chestnuts , halved
- black truffle , shaved (optional)
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Chicken and chestnut shorba
