Roasted Chestnut Soup with Wild Mushrooms
Vegetables Recipes | Soups, Stews, Chowders Recipes | Miscellaneous Recipes
Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
This rich, flavorful soup has a slightly nutty taste and a soft, creamy texture. It requires a few simple ingredients and very little preparation time.
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 10 to 12 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
- 4-1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 cups roasted, peeled chestnuts, chopped, divided*
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup fresh (or reconstituted dried) wild mushrooms, such as black trumpet, chanterelle, or morel
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a stockpot over a moderate flame. Add onion and cook until soft and transparent. Add thyme and sauté briefly. Add chicken stock, heavy cream, and 2-1/2 cups of chestnuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.
While the soup is simmering, sauté mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly crispy but still tender. Pour soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with the remaining chestnuts and mushrooms. Serve immediately
Comments
You may use store-bought, preroasted chestnuts, which come vacuum-packed in jars (do not use canned chestnuts, which are preserved in sweet syrup). However, in our testing, we found that freshly roasted chestnuts tasted best. To roast chestnuts, cut an “x” through the flat bottoms of each nut (this helps with peeling later). Toss with salt, pepper, and 1/3 cup canola oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 425º until tender, approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Return to bowl, toss, and wrap bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Cool, then peel.
Reviews by Readers
This soup was absolutely fantastic. Veg stock was used in lieu of chicken stock. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a good fall/winter soup. – Anonymous Review
Roasting the chestnut was the biggest, most difficult part. Those shells are brutal! But worth it! – Reviewed by Colleen Paradis
I made this last year for Thanksgiving and planning on making it for Wednesday evenings supper. Wonderful taste and texture. I found canned chestnuts (packed in water not syrup!) at Wild Oats Market in Portland for 99 cents. Saves time roasting and peeling. – Reviewed by Marcia Burchstead
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