I love this chestnut and wild mushroom soup coming up to Christmas. There are lots of dried mushrooms with intense flavours that you can get now and I always keep some in the cupboard. They are handy to have for a risotto. You can get cooked French chestnuts vacuum packed in Dunnes. For excellent smoked duck try Skeaghanore Duck in Ballydehob, west Cork. This soup also tastes great with smoked bacon used instead. It can be made up to three days in advance and kept covered in the fridge.

The lobster bisque is an extremely rich soup and it is a treat. Small amounts are quite sufficient. You can get frozen lobster all year round nowadays. You could use crab, or prawns instead if you like. Bouquet Garni can be made in a variety of ways, with this soup you could use some basil and dill.

A big thank you to everyone who has bought my new book and for all of the kind comments. I really appreciate it and am delighted that it is doing well.

Happy cooking,

Neven

Neven Maguire’s Midweek Meals is out now, published by Gill.

Recipes

Chestnut & wild mushroom soup. \ Photography: Claire Jeanne Nash. Food styling: Janine Kennedy

Chestnut & wild mushroom soup

Serves four to eight

50g (2oz) dried mixed wild mushrooms

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

450g (1lb) peeled chestnuts (canned or vacuum-packed), chopped

100g (4oz) smoked duck, thinly sliced

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1.2 litres (2 pints) chicken or vegetable stock

200ml (7fl oz) cream

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

snipped fresh chives, to garnish

fresh micro herbs, to garnish

  • 1 Put the dried wild mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour 400ml (14fl oz) of boiling water over to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes, until they have plumped up. Drain the mushrooms and gently squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid.
  • 2 Heat a large pan and add the oil. Add the chestnuts, half of the smoked duck, the onion and drained wild mushrooms and sweat gently for 10 minutes, until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.
  • 3 Add the thyme to the pan with the reserved soaking liquid and the stock, stirring to combine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and allow to heat through for 1 minute, then whizz with a hand-held blender until as smooth as possible.
  • 4 Season to taste, then blend again until light and foamy, tilting the pan to get the maximum effect.
  • 5 To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Garnish each one with the rest of the smoked duck, the chives and micro herbs.
  • Lobster bisque

    Serves four to six

    350g (12oz) frozen cooked lobster, thawed

    1 tbsp rapeseed oil

    50g (2oz) butter

    1 small onion, diced

    1 carrot, diced

    1 celery stick, diced

    ½ small fennel bulb, diced

    1 fresh bouquet garni

    4 ripe tomatoes, quartered

    4 tbsp brandy (Cognac if possible)

    2 tsp tomato purée

    900ml (1½ pints) fish stock

    150ml (¼ pint) dry white wine

    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    lightly whipped cream, to garnish

    fresh micro herbs, to garnish

  • 1 Cut the lobster in half lengthways, then open it up and remove the tail meat, removing and discarding the intestinal tract and stomach. Twist and remove the claws, then using the back of a knife, crack the claws and remove the meat. Chop the tail and claw meat and reserve. Put the shell in a polythene bag and smash into small pieces.
  • 2 Heat the oil and half of the butter in a large pan and stir in the onion, carrot, celery and fennel. Add the lobster shell and bouquet garni, then cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
  • 3 Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then increase the heat and pour in the brandy – it should reduce immediately. Add the tomato purée, stock and wine and bring to a simmer, then cook gently for 30 minutes, until slightly reduced. Season to taste.
  • 4 Pass the soup through a fine sieve into a bowl, then ladle into a food processor. Add the remaining butter and the reserved lobster meat, reserving some to garnish. Whizz until blended, then return to a clean pan. Reheat gently, then ladle into bowls and add a quenelle of the whipped cream to each one. Finish with a small mound of the reserved lobster meat and a sprinkling of the micro herbs to serve.