Name: The Athenaeum Hotel And Residences
Address: 116 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London, W1J 7BJ, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7499 3464
Price range: From £269

17th October 2019

Velouté of Potimarron Pumpkin with Roast Chestnuts and Ceps

Serves 6

Ingredients

400g potimarron pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and roughly cut into 3cm pieces
100ml olive oil, plus 1 extra tsp olive oil
70g unsalted butter
¼ Spanish onion, finely diced
700ml chicken stock
200ml milk
2 large fresh ceps
12 chestnuts, roasted, peeled and cut into quarters
1 tbsp chopped curly parsley
2 tsp pumpkin seed oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper

Method

Put the pumpkin pieces on a baking tray and roll them in 100ml of olive oil. Place in an oven preheated to 160°C and bake for one hour, or until tender
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Sweat gently for 5 minutes, until softened but not coloured.
Add the roasted pumpkin to the pan along with the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the milk.
Purée the mixture from the pan in batches in a blender or food processor to create the soup. Then pass the liquid through a fine sieve into a clean pan.
Reheat the soup gently and season with salt and pepper.
Clean the ceps with a pastry brush, rinse in cold water and pat dry. Trim 1cm off the stalks, then cut them into 5mm slices.
Heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a frying pan, add the ceps and sauté over a high heat until golden on each side. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the chestnuts to the pan to warm through, then add the chopped parsley.
To serve, pour the soup into bowls, spoon the ceps and chestnuts on top and finish with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil.

But if you would rather leave the cooking up to the professionals, enjoy this dish with us on Christmas Day. View our festive dining options over the Christmas period.