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Jean’s Pumpkin Chestnut Soup

Preparing pumpkin isn't as hard as it seems, although I’ll admit peeling the hard outer rind can seem intimidating. Did you know that you don’t even have to peel this small pumpkin? But peeling does make for a smoother soup.
Start by cutting the entire pumpkin in half down the middle, using a large chef's knife, and rather than sawing, don't hesitate to remove the knife, turn the pumpkin a quarter turn, and make a cut further along that will eventually join the first one in the middle. Keep your hand flat on the top of the chef’s knife.Once you've got two halves, remove the stringy insides and seeds, and place one half flat on the cutting board.
Then either:
Do what astute home chefs do: Use a Y-peeler to peel the rind away. Easy!
Do what professional chefs do: Use a serrated (bread) knife to cut away the rind, cutting always away from you and downwards, turning the pumpkin half as you go. The only tricky part is the top of the demi-sphere, but just keep the knife pointed away from you and cut nearly horizontally.
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Equipment

  • Y-peeler or serrated (bread) knife

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon 15 g butter
  • 1 medium leek (about 5-7 ounces or 150-200 g), white part only, washed and roughly chopped
  • 2 medium carrots (5 ounces or 140 g), peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 lb. 14oz. - 2.2 lbs. (850 g - 1 kg) Hokkaido or Red kuri squash, cut in half, emptied, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
  • 7 cups 1.6 liters water, vegetable stock, or light chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or to taste
  • about 5 twists of a pepper mill
  • 1 generous cup (160 g) peeled and roasted chestnuts (use fresh chestnuts if you’re extremely courageous, otherwise use frozen or from a jar)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons Cointreau
  • 2 tablespoons crème fraiche or heavy cream (optional)

For herb Chantilly (whipped cream garnish), optional:

  • ⅓ cup about 80 ml heavy cream, very cold
  • ¼ cup about 30 g chopped chives or chervil, or other herbs

Instructions
 

  • In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Add the leeks and carrots and sauté until slightly caramelized (light brown-colored), about 5-7 minutes, stirring from time to time.
  • If you’re making the herb Chantilly, put a medium bowl and a hand whisk or beaters in the refrigerator to make sure they’re extra-cold.
  • Add the pumpkin cubes and stir well, and let cook about 3 minutes more.
  • Add water or stock, and bring to the boil. Add salt and pepper.
  • Lower the heat and let the soup simmer, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes. Skim and throw away any foam that rises to the surface.
  • Reserve 4 chestnuts. Add the others to the soup, and continue to simmer about 10 more minutes.
  • Remove from heat and add the orange juice and Cointreau. Let the soup cool for about 10 minutes.
  • Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until it is smooth. If your pumpkin was on the heavy/big side, this purée will be too thick, so feel free to thin it with water or stock.
  • If you are making the herb Chantilly, whip the cream to medium peaks using a whisk or hand-held beater. You don’t want to over-whip, but it’s important to find the texture that will support the weight of the chopped chestnut garnish. When you quickly lift the whisk from the cream, it should make what we call a bec d’oiseau, or bird’s beak (see photo).
  • Gently fold the herbs into the whipped cream using a rubber spatula.
  • Reheat the soup gently over low heat, and stir in the optional crème fraîche. The soup should be warmed through, but not boiling.
  • Chop the reserved chestnuts.
  • Taste the soup for seasoning and texture. Serve it as thick or as thin as you like.
  • Serve the soup right away in shallow bowls for a first course, or deep bowls if you're dining light on just this warming soup and a few slices of toasted whole-grain bread.
  • If you made the herb Chantilly, make a little oblong quenelle (or dumpling) by using two tablespoons to shape the quenelle, and place it on the soup. (Or you can use a pastry bag and tip to pipe a bit of the Chantilly on top.) Then sprinkle a bit of chopped chestnuts on top of the Chantilly.

Notes

6 to 8 first course servings; 3 to 4 main course servings
© Allison Zinder