Chestnut
Velouté
Lyon, France
Chico Francesco
Lyonnais cuisine is famed for its
hearty rustic table-pleasures, and the perpetually festive city
has been
a centre for feasting
since Roman times. This rich, seasonal soup, traditionally made
from locally gathered chataigne (sweet chestnuts), is a luxurious
and comforting dish - perfect fare for all winter-time celebrations.
Serves 6
Ingredients
500g tinned or fresh chestnuts
50ml virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black ground pepper
5 fresh sage leaves
500ml semi skimmed milk
500ml water
Method
1 If using fresh chestnuts, score an ‘x’ through
the base and grill for 5-7 minutes. Set aside and when cool, remove skins.
2
Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the bay leaf and onions. Sauté until
lightly golden.
3 Add the chestnuts (fresh or tinned), salt, pepper, sage
and cook for a few minutes.
4 Add the milk and water and bring to the
boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
5 Empty the mixture into a liquidizer
and blend until smooth
6 Return mixture to the pan and add additional
water to create soup
consistency to your preference.
NB: you may need to add extra salt and
pepper depending on its viscosity. Also, grated nutmeg can
be added as an option with the milk and water.
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