Sopa de Castanha do Para

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 ½ cups brazil nuts
• 6 cups chicken broth (if using tinned make sure you follow any directions for dillution, otherwise this could be too salty)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ¼ teaspoon ground mace
• 1 cup cream
• 2 pomegranates
• salt
• freshly ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Spread the nuts in a single layer on an non-stick baking sheet.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice to toast evenly.
4. Remove and cool.
5. Rub the skins off the nuts, and grind them in a food processor until finely ground.
6. Heat the broth in a large pot over medium heat.
7. When warm, add about 1/2 c to the brazil nuts in the food processor, process until smooth.
8. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, remove from heat and stir in flour until smooth.
9. Return the pan to the heat and stir until thickened.
10. Add 3 cups of the broth into the pan a bit at a time, stirring constantly until thickened.
11. Add the mixture in the saucepan back into the broth and mix well.
12. Whisk in the nut mixture.
13. Season with salt, pepper, mace.
14. Blend well.
15. Stir in cream and simmer gently (DO NOT BOIL) for 20 minutes.
16. If the soup is thicker than you wish, add a bit more cream or broth.
17. Cut the pomegranates in half, juice one in a juicer, and strain into the soup.
18. Remove the seeds from the other pomegranate.
19. To serve, sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the soup in warm soup dishes.