Potage Cremeux De Chataigne (Chestnuts)
- 8 cups chestnuts, fresh whole, peeled
- 1 medium onion
- 12 medium shallots
- 4 stalks celery
- 5 ounces prosciutto, Sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 12 quarts chicken stock, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 teaspoon salt
- 12 cup heavy cream
- 12 teaspoon white pepper, fresh ground
- 14 cup dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400F
- With a small, sharp knife, slit the outer shell of each chestnut, put them in a shallow baking pan, and roast until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Peel off the outer shells and inner skins while still warm.
- Reheat if the chestnuts cool and become difficult to peel.
- Peel and thinly slice the onion and the shallots.
- Thinly slice the celery tops and leaves (reserve ribs for another use).
- Julienne the prosciutto.
- Wrap and refrigerate 2 tablespoons prosciutto for garnish.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in an 8-quart soup kettle and saute the onion, shallots and remaining prosciutto over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of the chicken stock to a boil.
- Stir the hot chicken stock into the shallot mixture along with the chestnuts, celery, fennel seeds, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and skim.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
- Remove and set aside 16 chestnuts for garnish.
- Add optional mushrooms.
- Continue simmering until remaining chestnuts are very tender, about 45 minutes longer.
- Remove soup from heat, discard the bay leaf, and set aside to cool 15 minutes.
- Pour the soup into the workbowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, or into a blender.
- Add heavy cream and white pepper while pureeing.
- Strain before serving.
- Reheat and serve hot.
- Can cover and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to 1 month.
chestnuts, onion, shallots, stalks celery, butter, chicken stock, fennel seed, bay leaf, salt, heavy cream, white pepper, porcini mushrooms
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/potage-cr-meux-de-ch-taigne-chestnuts-306598 (may not work)