Bay-Scented Chestnut Soup

Name: Bay-Scented Chestnut Soup
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 8 servings apple; 8 servings apple cider; 8 servings bacon; 1 leave bay; 8 servings celery; 8 servings chestnuts; 8 servings chicken broth; 8 servings heavy cream; 8 servings onion; 8 servings salt; 8 servings sherry; 8 servings thyme; 8 servings unsalted butter; 8 servings vanilla bean

Bay-Scented Chestnut Soup might be just the soup you are searching for. Watching your figure? This gluten free and primal recipe has 319 calories, 5g of protein, and 19g of fat per serving. This recipe serves 8. If you have chicken broth, celery, thyme, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 2 hours. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Autumn.

Instructions

For fresh chestnuts, bring a saucepan of water to a boil.

Ingredients you will need

Chestnuts

Water

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Cut the chestnuts in half from top to bottom with a sharp chefs knife.

Ingredients you will need

Chestnuts

Equipment you will use

Chefs Knife

Put them in the freezer for 10 minutes, then drop them into the boiling water, boil 8 minutes, and drain. While they are still hot, pop out the meat by squeezing on each half. The darker brown pellicle surrounding the meat should come off as well. Work quickly, because the cooler they are, the harder they are to shell.

Ingredients you will need

Pop

Water

Meat

If using dried chestnuts, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Ingredients you will need

Chestnuts

Water

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add the chestnuts, simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and let them soak for 1 hour. Vacuum-packed chestnuts can be added straight from the jar.

Ingredients you will need

Chestnuts

Cook the onion and celery in the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in all but cup of the chestnuts, then the broth, cider, thyme, 5 of the bay laurel leaves (or 1 California bay), and vanilla bean. Cover and simmer the soup over very low heat for 45 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Vanilla Bean

Chestnuts

Butter

Celery

Broth

Soup

Onion

Thyme

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Remove and discard the thyme, bay leaves, and vanilla.

Ingredients you will need

Bay Leaves

Vanilla

Thyme

Puree the soup in 2 batches in a blender (not a food processor) until very smooth. Dont fill the blender more than half full, and begin blending in quick pulses to prevent the hot soup from splashing out.

Ingredients you will need

Soup

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Blender

Pour the soup back into the saucepan, stir in the cream and sherry, and reheat it to the simmering point. Taste and add as much salt and pepper as you think it needs (if you used canned salted broth you may need very little). Stir in the remaining 5 bay laurel leaves (or 1 California bay) and steep for at least 5 minutes to perfume the soup.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Sherry

Broth

Cream

Soup

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Cook the bacon in a medium skillet until it renders out most of its fat but is not quite crisp. Tip the skillet to drain off the excess fat. Dice the reserved cup chestnuts, add them to the bacon, and cook for another minute.

Ingredients you will need

Chestnuts

Bacon