Trail of Crumbs: Cream of Chestnut Soup

 

I am so happy it's Friday.  I know you understand.  And I feel like this every week.  Because Friday means I (usually) have two days where I don't have to put out fires.  Or deal with ridiculously complicated situations that pop up.   I always imagine the weekend means I'll have time for myself, and even though that rarely happens, the fantasy persists.

This weekend we're prepping for Halloween!  Decorating the house, watching movies, carving pumpkins.  It's my most favorite time of year.  Along with the seasonal food that comes along with it.  

I wrote earlier that Kim Sunee uses chestnuts a lot in the book, often in ways I'm not accustomed to.   This is a recipe that I can get behind though.  Chestnut soup.  So perfectly autumnal, right?  Doesn't it just sound like something you would serve at Thanksgiving? 

The soup is sweet, a combination of the roasting of the chestnuts and the creme de marrons.  And with the warmth, it really brings to memories those street-corner roasted chestnuts.

Cream of Chestnut Soup (From Trail of Crumbs)

1 tsp olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

14 oz roasted chestnut

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 to 4 sprigs thyme

1 quart chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 to 2 tsps creme de marrons 

1. Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium high heat.  Add shallots and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
2. Add chestnuts, salt, pepper, and thyme.  Stir and let cook about 1 minute.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil, skimming fat as it rises.  Reduce heat to medium low and let cook about 25 minutes or until chestnut and apple are tender.  Remove from heat.
4. Remove thyme sprigs and discard.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer chestnut, apple, and shallot to blender nad puree until smooth.
5. Add a little broth if too thick.  Pour back into the soup pot.  Heat to low. 
6. Stir in cream.
7. Stir in creme de marrons.