Allegra
McEvedy
–
Silky
Brazil
Nut
Soup
Soup for 4
Ingredients:
200g Brazil nuts
1litre vegetable or half-strength chicken stock
2tbsp unsalted butter
2tbsp plain flour
Big pinch ground mace
4tbsp double cream
Small squeeze of lime
100g torn-up oyster mushrooms
2tbsp light olive oil
A clove of garlic, chopped
A handful of parsley, finely chopped
4 small slices of bread (I used a baguette)
Salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 200ºC /400ºF.
Bake the nuts for 10 minutes or so, wiggling halfway to toast evenly.
When golden, take them out and tip them into a dry tea-towel. Wrap the
towel round the nuts to make a tight ball, then scrunch to get the
skins off.
Warm the stock. Pulse the nuts in a processor until finely ground. Add
a ladle of stock and pulse again till smooth.
Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan and when it begins to foam,
stir in the flour over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Then
gradually ladle in two thirds of stock, using a whisk to ensure it
stays smooth.
Add the rest of the stock, including the nutty stock from the
processor, the cream, mace and seasoning, then whisk until just below
boiling. Simmer very gently for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, and fry the garlic for a minute, then
toss in the mushrooms and season.
Sieve the soup and add a little hot water, if it's too thick. Add a
tiny bit of lime juice and check seasoning.
Serve with toast, in warmed bowls, topped with the mushrooms (after a
final toss with the parsley) and a few sliced Brazils for a nutty
crunch.
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