Chestnut Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic soup of chestnuts and onion that are pureed and finished in a brown gravy base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Chestnut Soup.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Chestnut Soup that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 180.—CHESTNUT SOUP
Scald, peel, and scrape fifty large chestnuts; put these into a stewpan with two ounces of butter, an onion, four lumps of sugar, and a little pepper and salt; and simmer the whole over a slow fire for three-quarters of an hour; then bruise the chestnuts in a mortar; remove the pulp into a stewpan; add a quart of good brown gravy, and having rubbed the purée through a tammy, pour it into a stewpan; make it hot, and serve with fried crusts.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
50 large sweet chestnuts
60g butter
1 onion
4 lumps of sugar
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1l brown gravy
fried bread, to accompany
Method:
Trim the tops of the chestnuts, place in a pan, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool until they can be handled then peel the chestnuts and rub off the papery inner skin. Place the peeled chestnuts in a pan with the butter, onion and sugar. Season to taste then cover and sweat gently for 45 minutes. Turn into a mortar and pound into a paste then scrape into a pan, add the brown gravy and bring to a simmer.
Cook for 20 minutes then purée the mixture and pass through a fine-meshed sieve. Pour the purée into a pan, bring to a simmer then ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve accompanied by fried bread.
