Today’s cookbook review is for the lovely Do-Ahead Christmas by James Ramsden. It’s a book filled with striking recipes, ones that can be made, at least partially, hours or days ahead. So your Christmas meal can exceptional without you being exhausted.
Here’s a first example. This soup is such an unusual blend of flavors that it has to intrigue you. This is James’ riff on an original recipe from Moro by Samuel and Samantha Clark. This dish originated in Spain and reflect the 700 years of Muslim culinary culture that remains active to this day.
Chestnut and Chorizo Soup with Saffron Cream
Yield: serves 6-8
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- 200g/7 ounces chorizo, cut into small cubes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 stick of celery, chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 200g/7 ounces cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
- 400g/14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 liter/4 cups chicken stock
- 100ml/3 ½ ounces/7 tablespoons heavy cream
- A few saffron strands
Preparation:
UP TO 3 DAYS AHEAD (MINIMUM: 1 HOUR):
Heat a drop of oil in a large saucepan and fry the chorizo until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Add the chili flakes, rosemary and cumin and stir for a minute or so, then add the chestnuts, tomatoes, stock, and half the chorizo. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Blend until smooth, leave to cool, then chill or freeze.
In a small pan, gently warm the cream with the saffron for 5 minutes, then set aside to cool. Cover and chill.
30 MINUTES AHEAD:
Warm the soup over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally. Take the saffron cream out of the fridge. Put the remaining chorizo in a warm oven or gently warm through in a frying pan. Warm some bowls if possible (I never remember).
TO SERVE:
Ladle into bowls and top with a few chunks of chorizo and a dribble of saffron cream.
FREEZABLE (without saffron cream)
Source: Do-Ahead Christmas by James Ramsden [Pavilion, 2014]