Pumpkin and Chestnut Stew for Grey October Days

Pumpkin and chestnut stew is on the table after 40 minutes: dice the vegetables, cook everything in one pot until soft, add the chestnuts, blend briefly – and you've got a stew that's filling and warms you from the inside. One pot, one board, hardly any washing-up.

October is the month when pumpkin and chestnuts are both in season – and the two go together as if they'd planned it. The pumpkin brings sweetness and creaminess, while the chestnuts give the stew a mealy, almost nutty body that no potato quite manages.

Ingredients

Serves 4:

• 800g Hokkaido squash (about 1 small squash)
• 200g cooked chestnuts (vacuum-packed)
• 1 large onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 carrot
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 800ml vegetable stock
• 150ml double cream or oat cream
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• dried chilli, to taste
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seed oil, to serve

Method

1. Wash the squash, halve it and scoop out the seeds. Cut it, skin and all, into roughly 2cm cubes – the wide blade of the Chef's Knife has enough length to get through the curve in one stroke.
2. Dice the onion and carrot, and finely chop the garlic.
3. Heat the oil in the pot and cook the onion and carrot for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic for the last minute, so it doesn't turn bitter.
4. Add the squash cubes and thyme, fry everything together for 2 minutes, then pour in the stock.
5. Let the stew simmer over a medium heat for 20 minutes, until the squash is soft. Add the chestnuts for the last 5 minutes, so they warm through but stay whole.
6. Scoop out about a third of the stew and blend the rest briefly. Stir the reserved portion back in – this way it turns creamy but still has some bite. Stir in the cream.
7. Season with salt, pepper and freshly ground chilli from the Chilli Grinder, and drizzle with pumpkin seed oil just before serving.

kjøk Tip

Always grind the chilli fresh over the finished stew rather than cooking it in – freshly ground, its heat is cleaner, and you can adjust spoon by spoon instead of ending up with a pot that's too hot. Store the grinder somewhere dry afterwards, away from the steaming hob, or the mechanism will clog. After cutting the squash, your knife gets a hand wash and a towel, never the dishwasher – and if it slips on the skin instead of biting in, run it over a whetstone or honing rod. You'll find the right helpers for the pot in our Cooking & Frying range.

FAQs

Do I need to peel the chestnuts myself?

No. Ready-cooked, vacuum-packed chestnuts are in every supermarket come autumn, and they save you a good half hour of work. If you're using fresh chestnuts, score them crossways, roast for 20 minutes at 200°C and peel them while still warm.

Can I freeze the stew?

Yes, for up to three months. Freeze it without the cream, though, and stir that in only when reheating, or it can turn grainy. It thaws fastest in individual jars.

How do I make the stew extra creamy?

Through the chestnuts and the blended portion, not through flour. If it's too thin for your liking, simply blend a bit more of it; if it's too thick, add stock a spoonful at a time.