Fresh Chestnut and Winter Squash Soup
Winter squash and chestnuts are a wonderful combination with this base, adding nutty and sweet flavors and hearty texture. Any firm winter squash is suitable. Use fresh chestnuts or packaged peeled chestnuts (sold frozen or freeze-dried). If using fresh chestnuts, see my peeling method below.
Recipe information
Yield
for 8 cups of finished soup, serving 6 or more
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the broth to a boil. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more if the broth is bland, and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir in all the chestnut, squash, and leek pieces; return to a steady perking boil. Cover, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, until the vegetables have softened, melted, and thickened the soup. Stir frequently, and lower the heat as the soup thickens. Cook uncovered if you want a thicker soup; add water to thin it. Taste, and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot in warm bowls, with freshly grated cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, and other garnishes (see page 60).
A SEASONAL CHORE: PEELING FRESH CHESTNUTS
Step 2
I love fresh chestnuts. Though it’s easy to take off the outer shell, the frustrating part is the skin-tight brown peel around the nut meat. With the blanching-and-chilling method here—and a cooperative batch of nuts—the shell and skin should come off together.
Step 3
I always buy a few pounds of nuts when they’re fresh, and enjoy most of them as Skillet Roasted Chestnuts (page 407). Be sure to try it—you won’t have to peel those nuts; your guests will!
Step 4
To peel chestnuts, cut a slit about 1/2 inch long in the outer shell of each nut. Bring a quart or so of water to the boil, drop in the nuts, and boil them for 5 minutes. Drain, and spread them on a tray or baking sheet; while the nuts are still hot, set the tray in the freezer (or outside, if it’s cold enough), and freeze for 30 minutes to an hour, maximum. To peel a nut, break open the shell at the slit and tear apart the inner skin—it’s helpful to use the tip of a paring knife. Loosen the skin with the knife, and pry off the shell and skin at one time. If necessary, break the nut meat to get the skin out of the wrinkles—the nuts will be chopped up for cooking anyway.
Step 5
When you come upon a really unpeelable nut, just pare the peel, losing some nut meat, or try the technique suggested by Judith Jones, my editor and an expert cook. Put up to a dozen slit chestnuts in a microwave oven and cook them for about 30 seconds. The skin should come off easily, she says. If not, microwave for another few seconds.
