Cream Of Chestnut Soup

With a paring knife make a slit in each chestnut.

Into a skillet put one tablespoon of cooking oil or grease, put in the chestnuts and heat for five minutes, stirring to get them all hot. Remove and peel nuts. This method removes the brown skin with the hull. Boil nuts in the stock until very soft, put through a course strainer, mashing any nuts through.

Melt butter, add flour and cook without browning as for white sauce; add hot milk. (Use double boiler.) Keep hot until slightly thickened, add chestnut mixture, seasoning and keep steaming for about ten minutes. It should be a creamy soup, not too thick. Add stock or milk if needed. Serve in soup cups with a spoonful of whipped cream on top. Sprinkle minced parsley over this.

cook's notes

This is a recipe from 1927, in the South. I would guess that it is intended for American Chestnuts, so one might adjust for size when using other species of chestnuts.... best thing, play it by ear. American chestnuts are about half the size of a good European chestnut.