Buy
Boil
Bake
Break
That’s the sound of chestnuts!
If you’re looking for four hours to kill on a Saturday night, then see above.
If you want to avoid being a cheapskate like me last year, then spend $20 on 2 jars of already prepared ones!* I was initially a little suspicious of the quality those jars beheld. But unless you’re buying them from a hole in the wall bodega, you’re not missing anything doing this work. It’s a tedious process that doesn’t yield quality measurable to the effort you expend.
I was a chestnut virgin last year. Oh sure, I’d seen them. Perhaps in the twilight of my childhood, I might have even tasted one.
When I made this soup for the first time last year, I became an instant convert. If you’ve never had chestnuts before, imagine a softer and sweeter walnut, with none of the bitterness. Because chestnuts are naturally starchy, they need a good kick in the pants to balance them out and Madeira wine (or sherry) does just that by cutting the soup’s natural sweetness with an acidity.
The topping, hazelnut gremolata, is not to be skipped. Hazelnuts, parsley, and orange zest lend a freshness to what would otherwise be a one note flavor. This sweet, earthy soup is a perfect starter to a much larger holiday meal like Thanksgiving. And as a larger portion on its own, very filling, fall or winter. If you’re trying to minimize your weight creep around the holidays, fear not, chestnuts are one of the rare nuts, despite their rich flavor, that are low in calories.
chestnut madeira soup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large leeks, cleaned and white and light green parts chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1-2 Bay leaves
6 cups of chicken stock
1 lb peeled, cooked whole chestnuts
3/4 cup Rainwater Madeira Wine (or sherry)
salt to taste
Roast the chestnuts in a single layer for 20 minutes in 350ยบ oven until they’re slightly dry and dark.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large soup pot until the butter becomes foamy. Add the leeks, onions, carrots, celery, and bay leaves until the vegetables becomes soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes, stirring the mixture around every few minutes. Add the roasted chestnuts and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and add the chicken stock. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes. Add the Madeira wine in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Puree the soup with a hand held blender, until the soup reaches your desired consistency, smooth and creamy or a little textured. Add salt to taste.
When reheating, splash with additional sherry and a pinch of salt before topping the soup with hazelnut gremolata.
*I’ve used jarred ones from Whole Foods (imported Italian chestnuts) and boxed ones from Trader Joe’s to utter and complete satisfaction. And this is what these guys look like in their natural state. Apparently, chestnuts are related to porcupines; no wonder they cost so much! The people who get these out of their shells must have fantastic health insurance, or maybe super duper needle avoiding machines.
hazelnut gremolata
makes approximately 1 cup
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoon hazelnut oil (or olive or grapeseed oil)
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
1 tbsp orange zest
Put all the items into a food processor and pulse for a few seconds. Then process the mixture until it’s almost very fine. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This makes an excellent topping for other soups, roasted vegetables, grilled fish, or as a rub over marinating lamb or pork.
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