French chestnut soup
This lusciously smooth soup is easy to prepare and perfect as an appetizer to a festive meal, or lunch on a cold day.
Servings: 3 approx
Calories: 530kcal
Save
Ingredients
- ½ onion or 2 shallots
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb roasted chestnuts
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock or more as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon salt or more/less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or more/less to taste
- ¼ cup heavy cream double cream
For topping (optional)
- 3 roasted chestnuts either additional or set aside from above
- 1 tablespoon butter to toast chestnuts for topping, optional
Instructions
- Dice the onion. Warm the butter in a medium pot/pan over a medium heat then add the onion once melted. Cook for a couple minutes to soften so the onion becomes translucent.
- Set aside around 1 chestnut per person for the topping, if adding (or you can use additional, if you have them) and break into pieces.
- Add the rest of the chestnuts to the onion, stir to coat with the butter and then add the stock, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
- Cover the pot, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to keep it at a simmer and cook for around 20 minutes to let the flavors mingle.
- Meanwhile, warm the butter in a small skillet/frying pan over a medium heat and add the chestnut pieces. Cook, stirring now and then, to gently crisp and brown the chestnut pieces on each side.
- Once the soup has cooked around 20 minutes, remove from the heat and blend until smooth (either use a stick/immersion blender or transfer to a blender). Add the cream and mix in so well mixed. If needed, thin out the soup with a little more stock if it seems too thick (though this is a reasonably thick soup). You can also adjust the seasoning a little to taste as well.
- Serve the soup topped with some pieces of crisped chestnut. You can optionally use a little parsley or chives to garnish as well.
Video
Notes
As noted above, if you have fresh chestnuts then roast them using my how to roast chestnuts post as a guide, then peel and weigh (remember to roast extra as you will use lose around maybe ¼ of their weight from the skins). Alternatively, you can use ready-cooked chestnuts.
Nutrition
Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 1036mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!