I love Chestnut Soup with Beer. This recipe starts with a “mirepoix”; the traditional starter for many French soups. A mirepoix is a combination of onions, celery and carrots minced together. When sautéed, it forms the flavor base for the soup.
I’ve had the experience of peeling fresh chestnuts and frankly, I didn’t enjoy it. Buying bottled or packaged chestnuts makes them much more user friendly. You can make this Chestnut Soup with Beer velvety smooth; or leave it slightly chunky with bits of chestnut popping up in your spoon. If you choose to purée the soup completely, the result will be much thicker than if you purée half and do a light pulse on the remaining soup. Add more vegetable broth or water to create the right consistency for yourself. I enjoy the flavor of beer and chestnuts together. If you don’t, replace the beer with more vegetable broth or water. For another recipe for Chestnut Soup-with a shot of Apple Brandy- click on the link: Chestnut Soup with Apple Brandy
Prep: 15 minutes