Ingredients
SOUP:
- 1/2 pound bacon, sliced or cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 onion
- 1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 small carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 medium Idaho potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 2 pounds fresh chestnuts, boiled and peeled (storebought okay)
- 12 sprigs thyme, tied together
- 1 cup Ruby Port wine
- 1 cup red wine
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the bacon has slightly browned and has started to render its fat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook slowly, until soft and translucent. Add the parsnip, potato, chestnuts, thyme, port and red wine and simmer on low heat until it is almost reduced completely. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook until the chestnuts have completely softened, about 30 minutes. Finish with heavy cream, remove the thyme springs and puree in the blender. Strain the soup through a fine sieve and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
GARNISH:
- 2 ounces butter
- 1/2 cup chanterelles or hedgehog mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chestnuts, sliced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 carrot, peeled, diced fine
- 1/2 ounce chives, chopped fine
- 6 large celery leaves, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large saute pan or nonstick skillet, heat the butter on low. Add the chanterelles, chestnuts, white wine and carrots and cook on low heat until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the chives.
To serve, place the warm garnish mixture in the center of a warm soup bowl. Sprinkle with celery leaves, and carefully pour the soup around the garnish mixture.
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