Chestnut Bisque Recipes

CHESTNUT BISQUE WITH CHANTERELLES AND FRESH CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• SOUP: Over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the bacon has slightly browned and has started to render its fat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook slowly, until soft and translucent. Add the parsnip, potato, chestnuts, thyme, port and red wine and simmer on low heat until it is almost reduced completely. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook until the chestnuts have completely softened, about 30 minutes. Finish with heavy cream, remove the thyme springs and puree in the blender. Strain the soup through a fine sieve and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
• GARNISH: In a large saute pan or nonstick skillet, heat the butter on low. Add the chanterelles, chestnuts, white wine and carrots and cook on low heat until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the chives.
• To serve, place the warm garnish mixture in the center of a warm soup bowl. Sprinkle with celery leaves, and carefully pour the soup around the garnish mixture.

CHESTNUT BISQUE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add carrots, onion, and celery, and saute until soft, about 7 minutes.
• Add chestnuts and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add stock and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer and add apple juice, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Simmer 15 minutes.
• Add tarragon and continue cooking 5 minutes.
• Puree the soup in a blender.
• Return to saucepan and reheat.
• Adjust seasonings as needed.
• Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, if desired.

ROASTED CHESTNUT BISQUE

Steps:

• Cut off the roots and tough green tops of the leeks. Peel away the coarse outer layers of each leek, split down to the root end, and wash the inner leaves thoroughly to remove any grit. Chop the leeks into 1/2 inch pieces.
• In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the leeks and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are softened but not browned. Add the stock, chestnuts, and carrot and simmer for about 18 minutes, or until the chestnuts and carrot are tender.
• In the container of a blender or a food processor fitted with metal chopping blade, process the soup until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan and stir in the cream, Marsala, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Serve in warmed soup bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream.
• *To roast chestnuts in the oven, preheat the oven to 400°F With a sharp knife, make an X-shaped cut on the flat side of each shell or prick each shell with the tines of a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. When the chestnuts are just cool enough to handle, shell them and remove the inner brown skins. (Using a dish towel helps.).
• If you really want to get into the spirit of the season and "roast them on an open fire," position the chestnuts at the edge of the fire near the glowing coals. Let them roast for about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until you hear them "pop." Remove them from the coals let cool slightly, then remove the shells. (The dish towel is really valuable here as there is often ash on the chestnuts.).

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.

SQUASH AND CHESTNUT BISQUE

Steps:

• Peel and seed squash; cut squash into 3/4-inch chunks. Peel onion and chop.
• In a 5- to 6-quart nonstick pan over medium-high heat, stir onion, celery, and butter until onion is limp, about 6 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chestnuts and stir until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add squash and broth. Cover pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until squash mashes easily when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Add milk.
• In a blender, whirl soup, a portion at a time, until smooth. Return soup to pan, add salt to taste, and, if needed, stir over medium heat until steaming. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with more chopped chestnuts, if desired.

CHESTNUT AND WILD RICE BISQUE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a paring knife to score an X on each chestnut, place on a cookie tray and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chestnuts can be easily peeled. Remove the chestnuts from the oven, let cool and peel. Chop roughly and set aside.
• In a soup pot over medium heat, cook the bacon and the butter until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low, add the red onion, carrot and shallots, stir, partially cover the pan and allow the vegetables to cook very slowly, without browning, for 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts, stir well and cook an additional minute. Increase the heat to medium and add the brandy, scraping the pan well, and then add the white wine and vegetable or chicken broth and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Use a food processor or blender to puree the chestnut mixture and then return to low heat. Add the heavy cream and the wild rice. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

BUTTERNUT BISQUE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, and cayenne. Season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add squash, broth, half-and-half, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree in a blender until smooth. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt. Serve bisque with sour cream, garnished with cayenne, if desired.