Preparation
- Finely chop the onions. Heat the butter in a pot and sweat the onions in it until translucent.
- Add the chopped chestnuts, top up with the vegetable stock and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.
- Pour in the cream and milk and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Blend until smooth with a stick blender and season with salt, sugar, cinnamon and, if you like, nutmeg.
- Serve in warmed bowls, with a dollop of crème fraîche if you like.
Drink with it
White wine · excellent match
Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder) or lightly oaked Chardonnay
Creamy richness and mild acidity carry cream and butter, and the oak notes meet the nuttiness of the chestnut.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingFortified wine · excellent match
Amontillado or dry Oloroso, lightly chilled
The nutty, oxidative tones of the sherry are the mirror image of the chestnut, and its dryness keeps the slightly sweet soup in check.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and VintageJunmai sake · excellent match
Junmai sake, served warm (about 45 °C)
The grain sweetness and creaminess of warm Junmai mirror the velvety chestnut, and the warmth suits a winter soup.
Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo: What do these mean for sake?Cognac and brandy · good match
Cognac VS or VSOP, neat as a small sip with the soup
Nutty and dried-fruit notes of the cognac suit the sweetish chestnut and cut some of the cream's richness.
Cognac and Armagnac: Two Origins for Brandy
Why it pairs well
Warm sake with a European cream soup seems surprising: its rice sweetness and softness share sweetness and texture with the chestnut.