Sherried Chestnut Soup

Yield: Makes 6 cups (1½ L)

To simplify preparation of this luxurious and velvety soup, purchase chestnuts that have already been roasted and peeled. You’ll find them in gourmet shops and well-stocked Italian grocers. To finish this soup off with flair, garnish with a small dollop of frothy whipped cream and a pair of lightly sautéed whole sage leaves.

1½ tbsp (22 mL) butter
1½ cups (375 mL) onion, finely chopped
¾ cup (175 mL) celery, finely chopped
2 cups (500 mL) vacuum-packed chestnuts, roasted and peeled
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cloves or allspice
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh sage, chopped fine
1 cup (250 mL) Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
1 cup (250 mL) dry sherry
4 cups (1 L) chicken stock
½ cup (125 mL) 35% cream
Salt and white pepper to taste

1. In a medium pot heat butter over medium heat, add onions and celery and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.

2. Add chestnuts, garlic and cloves and sauté for 5 minutes, breaking up chestnuts while stirring.

3. Add sage, potatoes and sherry, cook for 2 minutes longer.

4. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil and then back down to simmer. Let simmer over low heat for 1 hour or until the potatoes and chestnuts are very soft. Let cool.

5. Purée soup in food processor or blender and return to pot. Add cream and bring to a gentle simmer; do not boil. If soup is too thick, thin with some water. Season with white pepper and salt if necessary. Serve warm.

You may be interested to read Cooking with Chestnuts

See more of our Top 10 Recipes Using Chestnuts