Chestnut Bisque Food

CHESTNUT SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, then stir in celery, carrot, and onion. Cover surface of vegetables with a buttered round of wax paper or parchment (buttered side down) and cover pan with lid, then sweat vegetables 15 minutes (to soften).
• Wrap parsley, cloves, and bay leaf in cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with string to make a bouquet garni.
• Discard buttered paper from vegetables, then add broth and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Add chestnuts and Madeira and simmer, covered, 3 minutes.
• Purée soup in small batches (4 or 5) in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in cream, pepper, and salt to taste and reheat soup over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.

CHESTNUT BISQUE WITH CHANTERELLES AND FRESH CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• SOUP: Over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the bacon has slightly browned and has started to render its fat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook slowly, until soft and translucent. Add the parsnip, potato, chestnuts, thyme, port and red wine and simmer on low heat until it is almost reduced completely. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook until the chestnuts have completely softened, about 30 minutes. Finish with heavy cream, remove the thyme springs and puree in the blender. Strain the soup through a fine sieve and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
• GARNISH: In a large saute pan or nonstick skillet, heat the butter on low. Add the chanterelles, chestnuts, white wine and carrots and cook on low heat until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the chives.
• To serve, place the warm garnish mixture in the center of a warm soup bowl. Sprinkle with celery leaves, and carefully pour the soup around the garnish mixture.

CHESTNUT BISQUE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add carrots, onion, and celery, and saute until soft, about 7 minutes.
• Add chestnuts and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add stock and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer and add apple juice, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Simmer 15 minutes.
• Add tarragon and continue cooking 5 minutes.
• Puree the soup in a blender.
• Return to saucepan and reheat.
• Adjust seasonings as needed.
• Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, if desired.

CHESTNUT AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE (VEGAN)

Steps:

• Roast chestnuts as follows: cut a shallow X through the skin, place in a covered pan, and bake in the oven at 375 until the nuts are tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes or so, then peel while still warm.
• Clean and cube the squash. Boil in salted water about 10 minutes or until tender. Let cool about 5 minutes, then pull of the peels.
• Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan. Add onion, carrot, and celery, then season with salt and pepper. Cook about 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts, cover with broth and simmer gently until vegetables and chestnuts are quite soft. Add more broth, if necessary.
• Blend the mixture with an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender or food processor, to make a puree. Return to the pot and gently reheat. Add the soy milk and parsley. Do not boil. Serve with good French bread and salad.

WARM CHESTNUT BISQUE

Steps:

• Place a Dutch oven over low heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the celery, onion and garlic and sweat until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the stock, chestnuts, sherry, heavy cream, bay leaf and thyme, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the chestnuts are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, whisk together the creme fraiche and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl until combined. Set aside for garnish.
• Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf from the soup. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and puree on high speed until very smooth (raise the speed of the blender gradually and leave the lid ajar to allow the steam to escape). Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, thinning with more heavy cream as desired and a splash of the sherry. Serve warm, garnished with the spiced creme fraiche.