Chestnut Soup

The first time I tasted chestnut soup was many years ago at Villa Virella, a memorable and exquisitely planned and executed family-owned and operated Italian restaurant in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. It opened in 1975 and closed down about two years ago. Our whole family still mourns its passing, as having dinner there was an occasion beyond compare. John Virella always planned seasonal changes for the soup course. The menu was a multi-course, prix fixe affair that required you to order your entrée from the menu a week ahead of time. One of the entrées would be a special off-the-menu item each time. For the quality of the ambience and food, the price was always a bargain, especially since we were able to bring our own aperitifs, wines and liqueurs with us.

When our family built our vacation home in the Poconos, we were delighted to discover it to be only about three miles away. If we had a little too much wine, we usually only had to be careful not to run into any foraging deer on the road on the way back.

A rite of passage in our family was each child’s first trip to that mysterious place where only the grown-ups had dinner for hours on end. Each expected to be disappointed by the build-up that had enveloped its reputation over the years, but each, in turn, was wowed by it. And John always made sure that we had an option for every course that would not violate our kosher dietary laws. Our trips to the mountains to ski will never be the same. Since the soups were seasonal items, chestnut soup was only available in the wintertime, and only on rare occasions.

When I finally developed a satisfactory recipe of my own, I used to split and roast the raw chestnuts, a painstaking task for anyone. At my old house, I planted what grew into a stately Chinese chestnut tree yielding many nuts, but I have been pierced more than once by the razor-sharp prickly hulls that split open to yield the hard-shelled nuts inside. The whole process has now become much simpler with the availability of shelled chestnuts in vacuum packs from Trader Joe’s, or the small foil packages of shelled nuts meant for snacking at Assi Market. This delicious soup becomes thicker after refrigeration and can be thinned with a little milk to the desired consistency when rewarming, or not. For me, the chestnut soup is as comforting as a heaping portion of creamy, fluffy, mashed potatoes.

Chestnut Soup

• 1 large or 2 small leeks
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, any variety (I like shiitake the best for this, but plain white ones, or even dried will do in a pinch)
• 1 cup dry vermouth or leftover white wine
• 2 Tbsp. Osem or Telma pareve chicken soup mix, dissolved in one cup boiling water
• 6 cups lowfat or whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 12-14 oz. peeled, roasted chestnuts
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Rinse and trim any tough green tops and roots from the leek. Split lengthwise and rinse again, checking for sand in the outside fronds. Place the leek cut side down and slice into thin half-moons. Transfer the pile to a colander and rinse thoroughly again. Allow to drain thoroughly.

Heat oil on medium heat in a 6-8 qt. heavy-bottomed pot. Add leeks and sauté, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, rinse mushrooms and spin dry in a salad spinner. Trim bottoms and slice. (You can use an egg slicer if your mushrooms are small and tender and you have a sharp one.) Add to leek mixture and continue to sauté mixture until leeks are tender and translucent and juices from mushrooms have begun to evaporate.

Add the vermouth, increase the heat to medium high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes.

Turn heat to low and add pareve chicken stock, milk, and cream.

Put aside about 3 oz. of the chestnuts and add the rest to the pot whole.

When everything has become just warm, use a stick blender to purée the entire mixture. Continue to heat on very low until the mixture is warmed through. Do not boil. Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper as desired. If the soup thickens too much, add some additional milk and stir until desired consistency is reached.

Chop reserved chestnuts coarsely and add to soup before serving, sprinkling on top of individual bowls, if desired.

Serves about 8.