French Chestnut Soup from the Ardeche Chataigne

Autumnal Ardeche Sweet Chestnut Recipes and Fetes from SE France

Nov 13, 2009 Kerry Swash

Autumn - season of mists and mellow fruitfulness - and the smoky sweet flavour of Chataigne. This Sweet chestnut soup from the Ardeche region of France is delicious.

In Rural South East France autumn means the harvesting of one of natures greatest gifts – Sweet Chestnuts or Chataigne. In the region of Ardeche the first chestnut trees (Castanea Sativa) date back over 800 years and the production of chestnuts here is taken very seriously. The sweet chestnut trees cover some 16 000 ha. and gives over 6,000 tons of sweet chestnuts per year.

This makes the Ardeche France's leading producer of chestnuts, but they are not just a generic nut, an incredible 60 varietes are grown here : the Bouche Rouge being the most famous. These ancient heritage varieties are less productive than the modern hybrid varieties grown elsewhere but they are infinitely tastier. Each variety has its own flavour and has a more or less sweet smokey taste. They are good enough to eat fresh but they are also traditionally enjoyed in soups, ragouts and gratins, tartes, gateauxs and most famously as a candied christmas fruit or 'marron glace'.

The region has won the all important Appelation Controlle ‘Chataigne D’ardeche’ which guarantees the quality and origin of the nuts.

In the acid soil valleys and granite limestone gorges of the Ardeche the soil is just right to encourage productive trees. Climatic Conditions, influenced by the alps and the Mediterranean, bring warmth and rain setting the stage for an annual bumper harvest.

In autumn the local markets are piled high with the glowing brown freshly fallen nuts which are wonderful to eat fresh or roasted. But the nuts are also available preserved in traditional ways – Peeled and pureed, dried , ground into flour and marinated.

The area is perfect for a gastronomic stay. When visiting the region be sure to visit the Musee de la Chataignerie in Joyeuse, or the Maison du Chatagnier at Saint Pierreville. During the harvesting seasons from mid October to mid November there are also numberous Fetes de la Chataigne known as 'castagnades' (after the latin name) for further details contact The Taste of Ardeche

Recipe: Cream of Chestnut Soup

(Apres la recette d’Eric Chabot, Château Clement 07600)

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook Time:35 minutes

Ingredients:

500g sweet chestnuts *
½ litre of water
50g leeks
50g carrots
50g garlic
1 shallot
300ml milk
15g butter
200ml single cream
Sprigs of chive to serve
Salt and pepper to season

*if fresh chestnuts are not available then you can use whole peeled chestnuts from a jar. This saves the fiddly bit of peeling at the beginning of the recipe(stages 1 and 2)but does change the texture of the dish a little.

Method:

Soak the chestnuts for 10 minutes in a bowl of cold water. Remove any of the nuts that float to the surface (as this implies they have already started to rot)
Carefully peel the nuts with a sharp knife. Being sure to only remove the first layer of brown outer skin.
Plunge the peeled chestnuts into a casserole of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain then carefully peel the second layer of skin, known as the Tan. Keep a handful of nuts to one side for final decoration.
Prepare a stock with half a litre of water by:
Peeling and washing the leeks and carrots, garlic and onion.
Roughly chop the vegetables and add to the seasoned water.
Leave to simmer for 30 minutes.
Place the peeled chestnuts and the 300ml milk in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes until the nuts are tender. Add them to the vegetable stock and mix well.
Stir in the single cream and season to taste.
Allow to cool and then blend.
Once blended and smooth put back into the casserole with the butter to gently warm through.
Serve immediately, decorated with the reserved chestnuts and a sprinkle of chopped chives for colour.

To Serve: Serve with crusty Pain aux Noix and a crisp white Gamay

The copyright of the article French Chestnut Soup from the Ardeche Chataigne in Culinary Travel is owned by Kerry Swash. Permission to republish French Chestnut Soup from the Ardeche Chataigne in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Chesnut Grove