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Velouté de châtaignes
Chestnut soup
Velouté de châtaignes: Ardèche chestnut soup with onion and a swirl of cream
Velouté de châtaignes is the autumn and Christmas soup of the Ardèche, the hilly region where chestnut trees cover the slopes and chestnuts were once the main winter food. Cooked chestnuts simmer with onion, celery and a little potato until soft, then are blended into a thick, nutty, faintly sweet soup finished with cream. It makes a festive starter for a December dinner. The common mistake is making it too thick; chestnuts absorb a lot of liquid, so thin it with stock until it pours. Chef's tip: use vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts; they save an hour of peeling and taste excellent.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- ⅞ oz butter
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 celery sticksliced
- 14 oz cooked peeled chestnuts
- 1 small potatopeeled and diced
- 4 ¼ cups vegetable stock
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup single cream
- 1 pinch black pepper
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Melt the ⅞ oz butter and soften the 1 onion and 1 celery stick for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Add the 14 oz cooked peeled chestnuts, 1 small potato, 4 ¼ cups vegetable stock, 2 sprigs fresh thyme and ¾ tsp salt and simmer for 25 minutes until the chestnuts crush easily.
25 minStep 3: Remove the thyme and blend until smooth. Add hot water if needed until it pours like thick cream.
3 minStep 4: Stir in most of the ½ cup single cream, season with 1 pinch black pepper and serve with a swirl of the rest.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does velouté de châtaignes take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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Perfect for:Winter warmers