Skye Gyngell Shares The Recipe For Her Autumnal Pumpkin, Sage & Chestnut Soup

Originally from Australia, Skye Gyngell is now one of Britain’s most acclaimed chefs. After initially training in Sydney and then Paris, Gyngell moved to London to work at The French House and with a number of eminent private clients before taking on the role of head chef at Petersham Nurseries. It was at Petersham that Gyngell became renowned for her distinctively seasonal, elegant cooking, creating dishes inspired by what she saw growing and blossoming around her. Gyngell was the Independent on Sunday’s food writer for five years, and has also published three books. Today, housed in a restored 19th century drawing room at Somerset House, Gyngell is at the helm of feted London restaurant Spring. The eatery’s daily-changing menu of seasonal British food has received much praise since it’s opening back in 2014. Celebrating the produce which autumn brings with it, Gyngell shares with Something Curated the recipe for her nourishing Pumpkin, Sage & Chestnut Soup. Documented by Kristin Perers, all the produce shot was delivered from biodynamic Heckfield Home Farm and Fern Verrow Farm, run by Jane Scotter, who Gyngell has been in exclusive farm-to-table partnership with since 2015.

PUMPKIN, SAGE & CHESTNUT SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

4 red onions, finely diced
5 sticks of celery, finely diced
A good handful of sage sprigs, tied with string
1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
5 cloves of garlic
5 onion squash
Two handfuls datterini or cherry tomatoes
500g cooked chestnuts
Two large spoonfuls of passata
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

METHOD:

Place a large, wide, heavy-based pan over a law heat and add a good glug of olive oil. When it is warm, add the onions, garlic, celery and sage. Cook over a low heat, stirring from time to time, for about 25 minutes to soften; don’t allow them to colour.

Meanwhile, slice the onion squash into 4cm pieces (don’t bother to peel them as the skin lends a delicious flavour to the soup).

Add the datterini, passata, dried chilli and crumble over the chestnuts, stirring well to combine.

Cover with water and add two large pinches of salt (as onion squash absorb and need a lot) and a little pepper. Put the lid on the pan and cook for 40 minutes, stirring every now and then until the onion squash is tender and starting to fall apart.

When you are ready to serve, add Parmesan and lemon juice. Taste one final time and add what you feel is necessary – perhaps a little more pepper and a pinch or two of salt. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve.



Feature image by Kristin Perers