Creamy Apple Chestnut Soup
"I can't take any credit for this. This was on CHOW this am, but I made a similar recipe about 1 year ago which I fell in love with. I lost the original recipe which came from a Southern Living Magazine I believe, but this one is by Aida Mollenkamp. If I remember right, this is almost identical to the recipe that I originally made mine from. It is an excellent Fall soup. I remember the dinner party where I first served it. Everyone was somewhat health conscious, so I tried to do Fall flavors a bit lighter. So I served a hearty bleu cheese vinaigrette and walnut salad with roasted pears, beets and figs, Creamy havarti baguettes for the soup and Chardonney turkey sliders on whole wheat buns. Baked pumpkin spiced cookies for dessert with coffee. OK ... it was Fall, even though it was 90 in Florida ... and besides football was on. So I just had to share this soup recipe because it is so good."
- Ready In:
- 50mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Yields:
-
4-6 Small Bowls
- Serves:
- 4-6
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups coarsely chopped shallots
- 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
- 4 cups apples (peeled and coarsely chopped, Pink Lady or Gala apples)
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
- 20 ounces whole peeled chestnuts (about 3 cups)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
-
Note
- my original recipe did have 1/4 cup cream (optional)
-
Garnish
- parsley crouton (I made baguettes topped with melted havarti and chopped fresh parsley)
directions
- Base Vegetables -- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. When it foams, add olive oil, shallots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Fruit and Seasoning -- Add apples and sage, season with additional salt and pepper, and cook, stirring rarely, until apples are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Chestnuts -- add broth, water, and apple juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until apples and celery are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Finishing -- Using a blender, purée soup in batches. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve garnished with croutons.
- NOTE -- Now as I mentioned, a great simple salad with walnuts, roasted pears, beets and figs, some onions, bleu cheese vinaigrette is a perfect side. And then some Chardonney turkey sliders make this a perfect fall meal. The soup was made ahead as were the burgers and the roasted veggies and fruit for the salad. It took 20 minutes to grill, make the sides for the burgers and put together the salad. And grill up some drunken olives to get everyone started and you have a great party.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
SarasotaCook
Sarasota, Florida
<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
