On a brisk walk one day, we discovered the path covered with chestnuts. We gathered a bunch and took them back to where we were staying. Not knowing exactly how to cook them, but having seen plenty of NYC vendors with pans of hot chestnuts in them, we decided to pan roast them. We placed the chestnuts in a single layer in a large frying pan and put them on high heat. I bet you can guess what happened next? A few minutes into our little experiment the chestnuts started exploding, like popcorn, all over the kitchen. It was all we could do to avoid getting hit by these blazing hot, golf ball-sized projectiles. Who knew you had to score the shells first? Still, after the mess, I still remember how good those chestnuts were. American chestnut trees once filled our eastern forests, but were all but wiped out by blight in the early 1900s. These days most of the sweet chestnuts we buy come from Europe, though there are organizations such as the American Chestnut Foundation working to breed blight-resistant chestnut trees. So, about this chestnut soup. My first introduction to chestnut soup came from Dorie Greenspan in her Around My French Table cookbook. Have you ever tried chestnut soup? It’s utterly delicious. I’ve seen chestnut soups with apples, pears, mushrooms; all work well with this sweet, earthy nut. For this soup, I decided to pair the chestnuts with fennel, whose natural sweetness and hints of anise work beautifully with the chestnuts. I have found when cooking with chestnuts, already prepared (jarred or packaged) chestnuts work best because of the consistency of texture and flavor. Packaged roasted chestnuts can be hard to find though. I searched 3 stores before finding a few jars. They can be found online though, and you can always roast the chestnuts yourself (remember to score them first!) Either stir in sour cream, or dilute the sour cream and drizzle over the bowls at service. Serve hot, garnished with fennel fronds. Chestnut and Mushroom Soup from A Communal Table
