Mixed Mushroom Soup with Chickpeas and Chestnuts
Preparation: 15 minutes || Cooking: 25 minutes
1 ½ lbs of fresh or frozen mixed mushrooms (portabello, shiitake, trumpet, fresh or dried porcini)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
1 can precooked low sodium chickpeas (approximately 15.5 oz)
15 oz precooked chestnuts
2 ½ cups of vegetable broth
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste
1 hot pepper
Parsley, chopped
1. Clean the mushrooms if using fresh, eliminating all dirt and cut all to approximately the same size. If you can find frozen mushrooms you can eliminate this step. You can substitute mushrooms and/or add some dried. I like the addition of approximately ½ - 1cup dried porcini for more flavor.
2. In a large pot heat the olive oil and sautée together the carrots, celery, onion and parsley stems for about 5 minutes. Do this until the carrots begin to soften, adding about ¼ cup of broth to not brown too much the vegetables.
3. Add the mushrooms, the rosemary sprig and the hot pepper keep stirring. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for approximately 10 minutes.
4. Remove the chickpeas from the can, throwing out the liquid; rinse and drain. Add to the mushrooms.
5. Cut the chestnuts to be more or less the same size. And add to the mushrooms along with the rest of the broth. Bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes until the soup thickens somewhat. I like to puree a few of the chickpeas and the chestnuts to help thicken if necessary. Remove the hot pepper.
6. Serve the soup in bowls, sprinkle with the parsley, and a little olive oil and freshly ground pepper if desired.
First tried this recipe at a dear friend of mine in Rome. Couldn’t resist after to remake it!
