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Sopa de castanhas
Sopa de castanhas: Trás-os-Montes chestnut soup with beans and rice, made meat-free
Before potatoes reached the high plateaus of Trás-os-Montes, chestnuts were the staple, and in villages around Bragança and Vinhais this thick soup is still made in November, when the magusto festivals roast the new crop. Farm versions are cooked with a piece of cured pork; this one is meat-free, built on dried or cooked chestnuts, white beans, onion and a little rice, finished with olive oil. It is sweet, nutty and filling enough for supper. Chef's tip: mash a third of the chestnuts into the broth to thicken it and leave the rest in pieces.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Warm 3 tablespoons of the 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the 2 onions, 2 cloves garlic, 1 carrot and 1 bay leaf for 10 minutes, until soft and sweet.
10 minStep 2: Add the 14 oz cooked peeled chestnuts, 14 oz cooked white beans, 6 ¼ cups water or vegetable stock and 1 ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chestnuts are very tender.
22 minStep 3: Scoop out about a third of the chestnuts and beans with a little liquid, mash or blend them smooth and stir back into the pot. The broth should turn creamy and pale brown.
3 minStep 4: Add the 2 ⅛ oz short-grain rice and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not stick, until the rice is soft. A common mistake is adding the rice too early: it bursts and turns the soup gluey.
15 minStep 5: Season with the ¼ tsp black pepper and more salt if needed, then serve with the remaining 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil drizzled over and 2 tbsp parsley if you like.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sopa de castanhas take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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