chesnut butternut squash soup

I've never baked/pureed chestnuts before. I won't lie telling you it's the easiest and most pleasant thing to do. It isn't. However, it's a really nice addition to my usual butternut squash soup. It's well worth it. And the good news is I did not use all the chestnut puree I made... What could I do with the leftovers? A dessert maybe? Stay tuned.

chestnut butternut squash soup

adapted from everyday greens, p.95-96

copied and pasted from here 

6-7 cups of vegetable stock
1 medium butternut squash, about 2 1/2 pounds, chopped, 6 cups
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped, about 2 cups
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup white wine
Chestnut Puree (next)
10 fresh sage leaves, stacked and thinly sliced, about two teaspoons

CHESTNUT PUREE
1/2 pound vacuum-packed whole chestnuts, about 1 1/2 cups, OR 10 ounces canned whole chestnuts, packed in water, drained and liquid reserved *

* table etc. : i used fresh chestnuts from the farmers market; i followed the tips mentioned in this article from the New York Times to make the chestnuts puree.

1 cup vegetable stock or water
salt and pepper

1. Heat vegetable stock to warm. Keep on low heat.
2. Place the squash and 5 cups of stock in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the squash is tender and starting to break apart, about 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil and butter in a sauté pan and add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. cook over medium heat until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Pour in the wine and cook until the pan is nearly dry, about 3 minutes.
4. Make the Chestnut Puree and reserve 1/2 cup for the garnish. Add the remaining puree to the squash, along with the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook together over low heat for 15-20 minutes. 5. Place in a blender and puree until smooth, adding stock as needed. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish each serving with a swirl of the reserved Chestnut Puree and spring with sage.


CHESTNUT PUREE

1. If using vacuum-packed chestnuts, place them in a small saucepan with stock or water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer until soft, about 20 minutes. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth, adding stock or water as needed to thin, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. If you’re using canned chestnuts, they won’t need to be cooked. Combine the chestnuts with 3/4 cup of their liquid in a small food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Save the remaining liquid to add to the puree if it needs to be thinned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

+ table etc.: 3. If you’re using fresh chestnuts : follow the article mentioned above