Mon, 11 November 2019
AVOCA CHESNUT AND CHORIZO SOUP
A winter warming delicious soup that can be bulked out with extra pulses and grains if you wish.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot finely, diced
1 celery stick, cut into small dice
Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
150 g Gubeen cooked chorizo, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed with a little salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons of finely chopped thyme leaves
½ teaspoons chilli flakes
Couple strands saffron infused in hot water
400g freshly chopped ripe tomatoes if available or a 400gr of good quality chopped tinned plum tomatoes or passata
300 gr cooked peeled chestnuts, chopped
500ml homemade chicken or vegetable stock
Optional additions (cooked chickpeas, cooked spelt grains or buck wheat, finely shredded kale or savoy cabbage)
METHOD:
1. Sweat the onion, carrot, chorizo and celery in the olive oil on a low heat in a large heavy bottom stainless steel saucepan for around 8 – 10 minutes until onion is soft and opaque. Increase the temperature slightly add in the spices and stir for a few minutes.
2. Add all remaining ingredients including extra grains or pulses if using. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add optional kale/ cabbage for last 5 minutes of cooking time.
3. Adjust seasoning and serve with some AVOCA Ancient Grain Soda bread or a hot crusty sourdough bread.
AVOCA ANCIENT GRAINS SODA BREAD
This delicious soda bread was created by Leylie and Robert Mosse from Kell’s flour mill a third-generation stone ground mill in Bennetsbridge in Co Kilkenny. This loafs distinctive coarse texture and delicious flavour come from a blend of coarse brown and white flour along with a blend of Spelt Wholegrains, Cracked bridge Mill Wheat, Buck wheat Kernels, millet and malted flour. It is enriched with creamy buttermilk for its unique crumb texture.
INGREDIENTS:
250g Extra Coarse brown flour
175g Plain white flour
50g Malted flour
125 g Mix of whole Spelt wholegrains, Cracked wheat, Millet, Buckwheat Kernels
Teaspoon salt
Teaspoon sugar
Rounded teaspoon Bread soda, sieved
650 – 700 ml Buttermilk
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 190 c fan assisted.
2. Grease a non-stick loaf tin with plenty of sunflower oil, or line with parchment paper.
3. Mix all dry ingredient into a large bowl, sieve in the bread soda. Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk. This is quite a wet mix do not be alarmed as it cooks the coarse grains absorb the liquid to form a delicious loaf.
4. Place the wet mix into the oiled bread tin, then make a deep incision down centre of loaf to assist the bread in rising.
5. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with a little extra cracked wheat and a few malt flakes or porridge oats (this is purely decorative and you can omit if you don’t have).
6. Place in pre heated oven bake for 15 minutes at high temperature to ensure a good rise in bread, then reduce temperature to 170 and cook for a further 40 - 50 minutes until cooked.
