Chestnut Cranberry Bisque Recipes

WARM CHESTNUT BISQUE

Steps:

• Place a Dutch oven over low heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the celery, onion and garlic and sweat until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the stock, chestnuts, sherry, heavy cream, bay leaf and thyme, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the chestnuts are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, whisk together the creme fraiche and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl until combined. Set aside for garnish.
• Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf from the soup. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and puree on high speed until very smooth (raise the speed of the blender gradually and leave the lid ajar to allow the steam to escape). Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, thinning with more heavy cream as desired and a splash of the sherry. Serve warm, garnished with the spiced creme fraiche.

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 & CRANBERRY BISQUE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pan. Add flour and stir until smooth. Add chestnut puree, light cream, broth, shallots, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes on medium low heat. Stir in cranberry sauce and sherry until heated through. Serves 4 people. Garnish each serving with fresh parsley, cranberries and a sour cream swirl.

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 & CRANBERRY XMAS RING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas 6 / fan oven 180C
• a) Cut a 23cm / 9in circle from a piece of non-stick baking parchment. Cut a 13cm / 5in circle from the middle, to make a ring shape (use a desert plate and saucer as guides if necessary). Make 1cm deep cuts, spaced 3cm / 5 in apart, all the way around the inside and outside edges of the ring.
• b) Brush a 12 Litre / 2 pint non-stick ring mould with oil and use the paper ring to line the base. Brush with a little more oil.
• a) Heat half the butter (25g) and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan until the butter is foaming.
• b) Gently fry the Onion, Leek, and Garlic for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened
• c) Place the chestnuts in a food processor and process until most are finely chopped but some slightly larger pieces remain.
• a) Transfer the onion mixture to a large mixing bowl
• b) Return the pan to the heat and melt the remaining butter (25g) and oil (1tbsp)
• c) Add the chestnuts and cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until lightly browned
• a) Tip the chestnuts into the bowl with the onion mixture and stir in almost all the cranberries, reserving some for decoration, the breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, rosemary, eggs, grated apples and plenty of seasoning. Mix well
• b) Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin, pressing it down with the back of a spoon.
• c) Dot with pieces of cheese then cover with the remaining chestnut mixture.
• a) Bake for 40-45 minutes until the ring is lightly browned and starting to come away from the sides of the tin.
• b) Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Oil a baking sheet
• c) Loosen the edges with a round bladed knife and turn out onto an oiled baking sheet
• d) Discard the Lining paper and leave the chestnut ring to cool for 1 hour until cold.
• a) Unroll one pack of pastry onto a lightly flowered surface. Using a sharp knife cut out 2x20cm strips reserving the leftover pastry.
• b) Arrange the pastry strips over the chestnut ring, tucking in the edges with a round bladed knife as you go.
• a) Re-roll the reserved pastry (Cook tip 2) to about 2mm thick. Cut leaf shapes from the pastry and mark on veins with a knife.
• b) Brush the pastry strips with egg yolk (Cook tip 1). Then attach the pastry leaves, curling and overlapping them to form a number of flower shapes spaced evenly around the ring.
• c) Shape several small balls of pastry and attach three to the centre of each flower with a dab of the egg yolk. (Cover and chill the remaining egg glaze)
• d) Cover with cling film and chill for at least 45minutes.
• a) Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas 6 / fan oven 180C
• b) Brush the pastry decorations carefully with the reserved egg yolk.
• c) Bake for 40-45minutes until the pastry is risen and golden brown. If necessary cover the top of the ring with foil if it begins to over-brown before the sides are cooked.
• a) Remove from the oven and slide gently onto a warmed serving plate.
• b) Garnish the ring with the remaining cranberries, the extra rosemary sprigs and the bay leaves.
• c) Serve with a rich sherry gravy and vegetables of your choice.

CRANBERRY-WALNUT BISCUITS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F.
• Stir all ingredients until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 10 to 12 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

CRANBERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until well-blended. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into egg mixture. Stir in ground almonds and cranberries (mixture will be stiff)., Divide dough in half. Using lightly floured hands, shape each portion into a 9x3-in. rectangle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes., Cool on pans on wire racks until firm. Reduce oven setting to 325°. Transfer baked rectangles to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut diagonally into 1/2-in. slices. Place on baking sheets, cut side down., Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes per side. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

CHESTNUT & CRANBERRY ROLL

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then gently fry the onion for 5 mins until softened. Finely chop the apples either by hand or in a food processor.
• Squeeze the sausagemeat from the sausages into a large bowl, then add all the other ingredients, except the cranberries and streaky bacon. Season generously, then get your hands in and mix well. Weigh out 450g of the stuffing and mix a handful of the cranberries into it. Use to stuff the neck of the turkey (see 'Goes well with').
• To assemble, butter and season a large sheet of foil. Stretch out the bacon rashers slightly with the back of a kitchen knife, then overlap 12 rashers on the foil. Spoon half of the stuffing mix evenly over the bacon, leaving a border of about 3cm. Scatter with half the cranberries, then pat them in. Tuck the long edges of the bacon over the stuffing; then, using the foil to help, roll the stuffing up into a log shape. Repeat to make a second roll.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the foil-wrapped rolls onto a roasting tin and roast for 45 mins. Unwrap, draining off any juice, then finish roasting for 15 mins until the bacon is crisp.

CRANBERRY WALNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla; add to dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in walnuts and cranberries (dough will be sticky)., Divide dough in half. On a greased baking sheet, with lightly floured hands, shape each half into a 10x2-1/2-in. rectangle. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. , Carefully remove to wire racks; cool 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 1-in. slices. Place cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over biscotti. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

CHESTNUT AND CRANBERRY DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 2 1/2 - 3 quart backing dish.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the stock until steam starts to rise, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add dried cranberries. Set aside.
• In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add onion, celery and carrots and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
• If using, in same pan, saute the sausage, stirring and crumbling with a fork, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl with vegetables.
• In a large bowl, stir the egg while slowly pouring in the stock and cranberries. Add the bread and toss until well blended. Let standing, stirring occasionally, until the stock is absorbed, 6-8 minutes.
• Add the vegetable mixture, chestnuts, sage, thyme and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and stir well to mix. Transfer to prepared baking dish and bake until browned and crispy, about 45-50 minutes.

CRANBERRY BRIE BITES

Steps:

• Place Brie cheese in the freezer for 20 minutes. Oil a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
• Roll 1 puff pastry sheet out into a 10x14-inch rectangle. Cut the sheet lengthwise into 4 even strips and crosswise into 6 even strips; there should be 24 squares. Separate and press them gently into the muffin cups.
• Cut chilled Brie cheese into 24 pieces approximately 3/4-inch in size. Add 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce to each pastry-lined muffin cup; press in 1 piece of Brie and top with 1 teaspoon of chopped walnuts. Sprinkle bites with sea salt. Chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake bites in the preheated oven until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.