Chestnut Soup

Ingredients

• 0.75 lb chestnuts
• good stock
• mace
• cayenne
• salt
• cream

Method

Shell the chestnuts whilst still warm. Score the outer skin with a knife, then blanch for two minutes in boiling water to loosen the shell from the inner skin. Work quickly — the heat is what separates them cleanly. Once cool enough to handle, peel away both layers. The inner skin is bitter; don't leave it behind. Soak the peeled nuts in cold water for five minutes to arrest the cooking and firm them up, then drain and pat dry.

Stewing the chestnuts in stock is where the soup gets its structure. Cover them with good stock — chicken or vegetable work equally, though chestnut's delicate sweetness leans toward light poultry — and bring to a bare simmer. The chestnuts should break apart at the gentlest pressure of a fork after 45–60 minutes, depending on size and age. Older nuts take longer. Don't rush this phase. The prolonged, gentle heat breaks down the cell walls and allows the starch to hydrate fully, which will give the soup its silky body rather than a gritty paste.

Drain the cooked chestnuts, reserving the cooking liquid. Pound them into a rough paste using a pestle and mortar, then sieving|sieve them through fine mesh, pressing firmly with the back of a spoon. This removes any remaining inner skin and fibres, leaving a smooth purée. The distinction matters — a blender will overwork the starch and produce a gluey texture instead.

Return the purée to a clean pan and add stock gradually until you reach a soup consistency. Use the reserved cooking liquid first — it has absorbed chestnut flavour — then supplement with fresh stock if needed. The ratio is roughly 350 g purée per litre of finished soup. Season with mace, a pinch of cayenne, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often to prevent the base from catching. Once it's at temperature, turn off the heat and stir in cold cream to finish. Do not boil after adding cream — the fat will separate and the texture will coarsen. Taste and adjust the seasoning; chestnut is easily overwhelmed, so cayenne and salt should whisper, not shout.