Be the first to Parsnips, carrots, chestnuts, and herbs blend into a creamy savory soup flavored with amaretto liqueur. The soup is very rich and filling, so keep the accompaniments simple.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf, broken in half
- 2 pounds fresh chestnuts
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 parsnips, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 Tablespoons amaretto almond liqueur
- 1 cup heavy cream, divided use
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Tie parsley, thyme, and bay leaf in cheesecloth (bouquet garni) and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Slash the round side of each chestnut and place on a shallow baking pan. Roast 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel off shell and skin. Set aside.
Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Gently saute carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, scallions, and garlic until softened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Do not brown.
Add chestnuts, chicken or vegetable broth, amaretto, and bouquet garni to the vegetables. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes until chestnuts are very soft.
Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Pour the soup into a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth and return to the pot. (You may need to do this in batches.)
Return to the saucepan and stir in amaretto, 2/3 of the cream, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Heat gently to a simmer.
Ladle soup into bowls. Pour a bit of the remaining cream into each bowl and swirl with a skewer into a marble design.
Yield: 8 servings
Preheat oven to 400 F. Slash the round side of each chestnut and place on a shallow baking pan. Roast 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel off shell and skin. Set aside.
Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Gently saute carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, scallions, and garlic until softened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Do not brown.
Add chestnuts, chicken or vegetable broth, amaretto, and bouquet garni to the vegetables. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes until chestnuts are very soft.
Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Pour the soup into a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth and return to the pot. (You may need to do this in batches.)
Return to the saucepan and stir in amaretto, 2/3 of the cream, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Heat gently to a simmer.
Ladle soup into bowls. Pour a bit of the remaining cream into each bowl and swirl with a skewer into a marble design.
Yield: 8 servings
