French Cream of Chestnut Soup

If you are looking for a special soup to serve during the Holidays, this delicious French Cream of Chestnut Soup is exactly what you should make!  Creamy, comforting and very flavorful, this elegant soup is perfect to serve as a starter in small bowls, or, in tea cups as the beginning of a special meal!

Ingredients for the French Cream of Chestnut Soup

The base of this soup is no different than that of most other vegetables soups:  an onion, a carrot, a celery stalk, garlic, stock and a few aromatics.  By adding chestnuts to these basic ingredients, the flavor profile completely changes to nutty and earthy.  A splash of cream just before serving gives it a velvety, luxurious texture!

Ingredient Substitutions

• Onion:  a leek or a sweet onion are great substitutes and they will give the soup a slightly sweet undertone
• Garlic:  instead of garlic, you can use a small shallot
• Stock:  use any you have on hand; vegetable or chicken stock both work equally well
• Cream:  crème fraîche, a dollop of sour cream, can also be substituted for the heavy cream
• Chestnuts:  I used vacuum-packed, cooked chestnuts for this recipe, but you can roast your own chestnuts if you have the time (see note below)
• Toppings and Garnishes:  these are completely optional, but some crispy bacon, minced fresh chives, or, a few chopped chestnuts on top add a great texture to the soup.  If you want to keep the toppings simple, however, add a just few drops of truffle oil

One Pot – One Delicious Soup

Once you sauté the vegetables, add the chestnuts and the aromatics and cook for a few minutes.  At that point, add the stock, simmer until the chestnuts are tender and purée the soup in a blender until smooth. The soup is ready to serve with your favorite toppings!

Making This Dish Ahead of Time

The festive, French Cream of Chestnut Soup base can be made ahead of time, but remember to add the heavy cream (and toppings, if using) just before serving.  The soup can be refrigerated for up to two days.  Reheat gently, add the cream and any toppings of your choice, and serve it in warmed bowls.

Cooking With Fresh Chestnuts 

The convenience of using chestnuts that are already cooked and shelled for you make it possible to have this soup ready in half an hour.  Cooking your own chestnuts, however, can be rewarding and it will take some of your time.  You can cook them on an open fire for a real treat, but it is much easier to oven-roast or boil them, then remove their shells.

The Oven Roasting Method

• What to look for:  European chestnuts, from Italy or Franch are the easiest to peel and are available at the market during the fall and winter months.  Look for good quality, shiny, plump chestnuts of the same large size
• Preparing them:  wash them well.  With a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut across the round side of each chestnut then make a vertical cut, forming an “X”.  Place the chestnuts in a bowl of water and let them sit for at least an hour. This will make peeling easier later
• Oven Roasting:  place the chestnuts in a shallow pan and roast in a 425°F, preheated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes (the exact time will depend on the size of the chestnuts).  Turn them a few times for even cooking
• When they are ready:  the chestnuts are cooked when the shells pull back at the incision point and the flesh is soft
• Let them steam:  place the cooked chestnuts in a paper bag, close it and allow them to steam for 20 minutes.  Gently squeeze them in the bag to loosen the shell. While they are still hot, with a sharp knife just peel back the skin
• Storing:  fresh chestnuts will keep in the refrigerator for five days or in an airtight container in the freezer for 3 months

I really hope that you will try this simple-yet-elegant soup in the months ahead while chestnuts are still available at the market. I promise you will not be disappointed!

5.0 from 3 reviews

French Cream of Chestnut Soup (Velouté de Châtaignes)

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

A classic, comforting and elegant French soup.

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: SOUP

Cuisine: FRENCH

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 TBSP. salted butter
• 1 red or sweet onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 medium celery stalk, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 14 oz. whole, cooked chestnuts, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 whole cardamom pods
• 1½ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 5 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Optional Toppings:
• 4 slices of cooked smoked bacon, crumbled
• --- fresh chives, minced
• 3 whole chestnuts, chopped
• --- freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Add the garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes more.
2. Reserve 3 chestnuts and stir the rest into the pot. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the aromatics, the stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. When the soup cools slightly, discard the skin of the cardamom pods, the bay leaf, and the stems of the thyme.
4. Pour the soup into a blender and purée until smooth (depending on the capacity of your blender, you may have to purée the soup in stages, or, half at a time). Gently reheat the soup over low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
5. When the soup is ready, stir in the cream.
6. Ladle the soup into four warmed bowls. Top each one with some crumbled bacon, chopped chestnuts, fresh chives and serve.

3.5.3240

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