Silky Chestnut Soup
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- One 14-ounce vacuum-packed jar of cooked and peeled chestnuts (2 1/2 cups)
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 medium leek, white and tender green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons Cognac or brandy
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering.
- Add 4 of the chestnuts and saute over moderately high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and let cool.
- Add the onion and leek to the pan, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Uncover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
- Add the honey and stir until melted.
- Stir in the remaining chestnuts and the stock, season with salt and pepper and simmer over moderate heat for 10 minutes.
- Finely chop the sauteed chestnuts.
- Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth.
- Strain through a fine sieve.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper and stir in the Cognac.
- Ladle the soup into shallow bowls.
- Garnish with the chopped chestnuts and parsley and serve.
canola oil, chestnuts, onion, only, honey, chicken stock, salt, cognac, flatleaf parsley
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/silky-chestnut-soup (may not work)