Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Soup Weather

          Souptureen

           

I love chestnut soup. This is my chestnut soup recipe that I repost each year when chestnuts appear at the market.

In a large pan, add some olive oil, saute a chopped yellow onion, three tall thin carrots, a turnip and the tender heart of celery, don't forget the tender tops.

Toss in 30 or so *cooked chestnuts.

Barely cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn the burner down to simmer until the chestnuts and carrots are tender.

Add a glass of white wine, or a shot of vermouth or bourbon.

Nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Blend a cup of cream until smooth. Serve hot.

(*Frozen or canned whole cooked chestnuts will do.) 

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Ninetten-century-ladle

 

On the right hand side of my blog I have a list of soups that you my blog readers have sent me. If you like soups be sure to check it out. –Or CLICK HERE–

 

 

Cafe-au-lait-bowl-souvenir

 

If you have a favorite soup recipe that you would like to share, add it in the comment section and I will add it to the list.

 

Comments

12 responses to “Soup Weather”

  1. Diogenes

    It is not soup weather here in LA yet. Corey, if you can believe it, we had 88 degrees on Thursday and clear skies, so Danny and I went to the beach. That said, it is supposed to cool down and rain here this weekend.
    I’ve never had chestnut soup but it sounds wonderful!

    Reply
  2. Irina

    I have never had chestnut soup. If I can find fresh chestnut I might try. Some street vendors sell roasted chestnuts here in HK, not sure where to look for fresh.
    What beautiful napkins you have!!
    xxx

    Reply
  3. Liz

    Ah Corey, great minds think alike…It’s turned colder and very wet here in Malta (our weather pretty similar to that in Provence) so finally soups are on my menu too. As chance would have it, I grabbed both whole and pre-packed cooked chestnuts yesterday with no idea what to do with them but they looked nice and autumnal. I too have never had chestnut soup so will make your recipe and post on my blog, full credits to you! Envy envy of your antique soup tureen! If you ever find one brocanting, let me know!

    Reply
  4. Mary K

    Too bad you aren’t over here. They are having a soup contest in Chester this next weekend. You could enter your soup!! I’ll guess that no one up there has never tasted chestnut soup as well as myself, but it sounds yummy!!

    Reply
  5. Lois

    I have never tried chestnuts, aside from roasted ones as a child watching the Santa parade in Toronto. I think I can buy them here… Must go look. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Toni

    I am making onion soup today. It’s a pretty autumn day here in CT. Cookies are planned also. I love your photos.

    Reply
  7. La Contessa

    I will give it a try!MERCI!

    Reply
  8. Dd

    Thinking about making this, but opening the chestnuts kills my fingers, is there an easy way to roast them that i don’t know about. I’ve tried the little x on the bottom

    Reply
  9. Janet with Eiffel

    A great sounding recipe,
    and it doesn’t call for broth!
    I am vegetarian (since age 12)
    I also love soup.
    When I have a recipe that calls for
    chicken or beef broth, and most of them do.
    I substitute with dark miso soup base
    or concentrated mushroom base.
    Miso paste is in most any market,
    in the refrigerated section, just follow the
    basic instructions on the package.
    The brand of mushroom base I use is called
    “Better Than Bouillon”
    look for it at the organic food markets.

    Reply
  10. Kathie B

    Being vegetarian too, I make substitutions for beef and chicken stock: vegetable stock + vegan imitation beef or chicken stock powder + red wine and soy sauce (for beef) or white wine (for chicken); need ca. 45 minutes to cook off most of the alcohol.

    Reply
  11. Kathie B

    Corey, I can’t seem to figure out how to add another soup recipe to your collection, so will just post it here — could you still copy/paste it to the list? Thanks. This used to be on Duarte’s Tavern’s own website, which is where I found it, but they’ve subsequently taken it down (probably because they’ve since published their own book, including recipes) — although other websites still have the recipe.
    DUARTE’S ARTICHOKE SOUP
    From Duarte’s Tavern in Pescadero, California
    Hearts of 5 large artichokes*
    7 Tablespoons butter
    1 leek, white/light green part only, cleaned and sliced
    6 garlic cloves, chopped
    ½ cup chopped shallots or yellow onion
    8 oz Yukon Gold*** potato, peeled, diced
    12 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
    ½ bay leaf
    2 sprigs thyme
    4 sprigs parsley
    ¼ tsp. cracked black peppercorns
    ½ cup cream
    Salt to taste
    DIRECTIONS:
    In large pot melt ½ the butter & cook artichoke hearts, leek, garlic & shallots on medium heat till tender but not brown. Add potatoes & stock. Tie the bay leaf, thyme, parsley and peppercorns in cheesecloth and add to the pan. Increase heat to bring to a simmer, then lower heat and continue to simmer uncovered, 1 hour. Remove, discard herbs. Purée** soup & pass through fine strainer. When ready to serve, heat soup & whisk in remaining butter and cream. Season with salt (I found none was needed) & serve.
    COMMENTS:
    * When I made this dish I used two cans of artichoke hearts, and left 1″-2″ of stem with each of the hearts with no problem. Slice hearts or chop to ¼” thickness.
    If you want to use fresh artichokes, the recipe says to prepare them thus: Cut artichokes lengthwise into ¼s. With small knife, remove thistley choke part and discard. Cut away leaves from artichoke heart and reserve for steaming & eating later if desired (why waste perfectly good artichoke leaves?). Cut or peel away tough outside skin of stems & discard. When I made this dish I left 1″-2″ of stem with each of the hearts with no problem. Slice hearts or chop to ¼” thickness.
    ** I prefer my artichoke soup NOT puréed.
    *** Or any white- or yellow-fleshed potato, peeled.

    Reply
  12. Kathie B

    Corey, when you post this to your soup recipe list, please delete “When I made this dish I left 1″-2″ of stem with each of the hearts with no problem” from the second paragraph in the COMMENTS section.

    Reply

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