Truffled Cream Of Chestnut Soup Food

CHESTNUT AND SHERRY SOUP WITH TRUFFLE GARNISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Using chestnut knife or sharp paring knife, make large X on flat side of each chestnut through shell but not meat. Soak chestnuts in bowl of warm water to cover by 2 inches for 15 minutes, then drain well. Arrange chestnuts in 1 layer in shallow baking pan, then roast in middle of oven until shells curl away at X mark, about 15 minutes. Wearing protective gloves, peel away shells from chestnuts while still hot. In large pot boiling water, blanch chestnuts 2 minutes, then drain. Using kitchen towel, rub chestnuts to remove skins. Coarsely chop and reserve.
• In large stock pot over moderately high heat, heat butter until melted. Add garlic, shallots, leeks, and celery and sauté until very soft, about 8 minutes. Add thyme, bay leaf, and chestnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally until chestnuts are golden brown and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Add white wine and bring to boil, then reduce until no liquid remains, 15 to 18 minutes. Add 3/4 cup sherry and bring to boil, then reduce until almost no liquid remains, about 10 minutes. Add stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to moderately low and continue cooking until chestnuts fall apart very easily, about 1 1/2 hours (If chestnuts are not completely cooked, the finished soup will be gritty.) Remove from heat and remove thyme and bay leaf. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup sherry and honey. Working in batches, transfer to blender and blend until smooth. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into clean pot. Stir in salt and pepper and keep warm.
• In heavy 2-quart pot over moderately high heat, bring truffle juice to boil, then lower heat and reduce by 1/4, about 5 minutes. Add butter and sherry and continue cooking until butter is melted, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk until frothy, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, use hand blender to froth.) Stir in chives, salt, and pepper.
• Divide soup evenly among 10 shallow soup bowls. Place 1 tablespoon truffle garnish in center of each bowl. Serve immediately.

TRUFFLED CREAM OF CHESTNUT SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet and add minced shallots.
• Add chestnuts and let roast for a bit.
• Add vegetable broth and let cook until chestnuts are soft and heated through.
• Add cream, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• Puree soup and strain through a sieve (if preferred).
• Transfer to 4 soup bowls and decorate/add flavour with the freshly grated alba truffle.

ROASTED CHESTNUT SOUP

Steps:

• If you have skinned chestnuts, proceed to step 2. If your chestnuts still have their skins, preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a sharp (preferably curved) paring knife to make an X on their flat sides. Roast them in one layer in a baking pan for 10 to 15 minutes, or until their skins begin to open away from the meat. They will then be easy to peel; remove both outer and inner skins while they are warm. (The peeled chestnuts will cook faster if you chop them roughly, but it isn't necessary.)
• Meanwhile (if you have skinned chestnuts, start here), put the olive oil or butter in a deep skillet or casserole over medium heat. A couple of minutes later, add the celery, onion, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and the chestnuts, bring to a boil, and partially cover. Adjust the heat so that the mixture simmers and cook until the chestnuts are mushy, about 30 minutes.
• Carefully puree the soup in a blender (if you are not in a hurry, cool it slightly first for extra caution). Measure and add water to make 6 cups of liquid. Reheat, adjust the seasoning if necessary, garnish with celery leaves or parsley, and serve.
• Variations
• I like to elaborate on this soup in two ways, depending on what I've got in the fridge and whether meat eaters are coming to dinner:
• Chestnut Soup with Bacon: Start by rendering 1/4 cup or so of diced slab bacon; scoop out the solids and reserve them for garnish, then sauté the celery and onion in the rendered fat and proceed as directed.
• Chestnut Soup with Shiitakes: Garnish the soup with a cup or so of shiitake mushrooms (caps only), sliced and sautéed in butter or oil until crisp.

PARSLEY-ROOT SOUP WITH TRUFFLED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Cook onion and garlic in butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add parsley root, thyme, bay leaf, white pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until parsley root begins to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add water and broth and simmer, partially covered, until parsley root is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Discard thyme and bay leaf and stir in oil. Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a bowl. If soup is too thick, thin to desired consistency with water. Season with salt, then return to cleaned pot to keep warm, covered, until ready to serve.
• Shave chestnuts with an adjustable-blade slicer or sharp vegetable peeler as thinly as possible over each serving.

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.

OLIVIER BAUSSAN'S CHESTNUT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut through one end of the shell of each chestnut. Place them on a sheet pan and roast until browned and the skins begin to pull back, 7 to 8 minutes. When cool, peel the nuts and discard the skins.
• Melt butter in a large soup pot. Add shallots and cook until soft. Add chestnuts, raise heat and cook, stirring, until chestnuts are golden. Stir in the porcini powder, vinegar and 4 cups of water. Add 2 cups of the cream and stir, scraping any residue from the bottom. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Bring the remaining cream to a boil and add the cardamom pods. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain and season with salt and pepper.
• Purée soup in a blender and stir in the truffle oil. Reheat the soup. (It should be warm, not piping hot.) Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Whip the infused cream until very frothy. Ladle soup into 8 small mugs and top with the frothy cream and a pinch more porcini powder, if desired.