Weight Watchers Recipe Of The Week: Winter Chestnut Stew With Sweet Potato Mash

Chestnuts, porcini mushrooms, shallots and thyme come together to make a wonderfully warming filling stew, which is served with a garlicky sweet potato mash.

7 ProPoints per serving

27 ProPoints values per recipe

Serves 4

40 minutes in total + soaking

Vegetarian freezing (stew only)

Ingredients

15g (1/2 oz) dried porcini mushrooms

½ a kettleful of boiling water

Calorie controlled cooking oil

500g (1 lb 2 oz) shallots, peeled and halved, if large

250g (9oz) mushrooms, halved if large

3 garlic cloves 2 chopped and 1 halved

2 teaspoons dried thyme

100ml (3 ½ fl oz) dry sherry

200g (7oz) cooked chestnuts (vacuum packed or tinned), halved

1 tablespoon soy sauce

450g (1 lb) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 heaped teaspoon cornflour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A few fresh thyme sprigs, to garnish (optional)

Method

Soak the porcini mushrooms in 300ml (10 fl oz) boiling hot water for 20 minutes until softened. Strain in the porcini mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid.

Heat a large, lidded casserole pan over a medium heat and spray with the cooking spray. Cook the shallots, covered for 10 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.

Add the soaked porcini and mushrooms, chopped garlic and thyme, spray with extra cooking spray, and cook for 5 minutes until softened.

Pour in the sherry and allow it to bubble away for 2 minutes until it has reduced by a third and there is no smell of alcohol.

Pour in the reserved porcini soaking liquid, then add the chestnuts and soy sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the sweet potatoes in a medium size lidded pan and cover with cold water. Add the halved garlic clove and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat slightly, part cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain the sweet potatoes and garlic, return them to the pan and mash until smooth.

Mix the cornflour into a little cold water and add to the stew. Stir for 3 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables are tender, then season.

Serve the stew on plates, garnished with the thyme sprigs, if using, and with the sweet potato mash by the side.

Hungry family hint: Enjoy mopping up the tasty juices from the w stew with a 40g (1 ½ oz)  slice of ciabatta bread per person for an additional 3 ProPoints per serving.

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