Chestnut Soup

I have recently fallen in love with a new comfort food.

Mrs. Nod and I had an unexpected treat at a snazzy little restaurant called Villa Mozart a month ago, when we ordered the Creamy Mushroom Chestnut Soup. It was a robust soup, full of creamy and earthy goodness, and with multiple taste accents dancing on the palate. It included a couple of whole chestnuts marinated in red wine at the bottom.

Ever since then I've been on the lookout for something similar to make at home. I think I've found it. It features a backbone of earthy mushrooms, chestnuts, and red bliss potatoes to which I added tender shallots and young parsnips.

Since I didn't have any "mushroom broth" I used organic chicken stock, half a cup of Merlot, and increased the cream to two full cups. I was lucky enough to have a neighbor give me fresh whole nutmeg which I grated into this heavenly dish along with fresh rosemary and sage. Fresh sage is in a word -- amazing.  I marinated some halved chestnuts in Merlot and put them in when serving.

Mrs. Nod smelled me cooking this and stayed up late just to have a bowl. It's that good.

Shamelessly ripped off from Food Blogga:

This Creamy Mushroom Chestnut Soup Is Like a Best Friend

Mushroom soup should be like a good friend-- there for you when you need it, full of understanding and comfort, and spicy enough to make you laugh. Consider this Creamy Mushroom Chestnut Soup a best friend. We met rather informally last fall in my kitchen while I was entertaining a number of other friends including tender red bliss potatoes, earthy chestnuts, and aromatic sage. We liked each other instantly, and our friendship has continued to grow.

I'm not a possessive person, so I'd like to introduce you to her.  She'll be one of the truest friends you've ever had. 

Creamy Mushroom Chestnut Soup
Serves 4
Print recipe only here.

Meaty, smoky chestnuts and savory fresh herbs add depth to an otherwise ordinary, creamy mushroom soup. Use bottled, dried, or -- if you're up for the challenge -- freshly roasted chestnuts. For a richer soup, I suggest using cream; 2% milk is best if you're looking to save calories.


3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced shallots
1 cup diced celery
2 1/2 cups peeled, diced red bliss potatoes (about 3)
8 cups mixed mushrooms, cremini and white button (about 2 1/2 pounds)
4 cups mushroom broth
8 ounces cooked chestnuts (about 20)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup cream
fresh sage, rosemary, and chopped chestnuts for optional garnish

1. Warm 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. Add shallots and celery, and sauté 3-5 minutes. Add potatoes and mushrooms, and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until mushrooms have released most of their liquid. Add broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Add chestnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, and cream. Turn off heat, and let cool for 10 minutes before pureeing.

2. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth; return to the pot over low heat. Stir occasionally until the soup is thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes. Just prior to serving, stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter for added creaminess and depth of flavor. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Garnish individual bowls with fresh herbs and chopped chestnuts, if desired.

Denatured

Denatured. Sounds rather ominous.

But it's just a fancy term for what happens when you cook food.

[WP] The normally twisted and folded protein molecules are unraveled or unfolded into less convoluted shapes, and the shapes of molecules, especially proteins, are responsible for most of their physical and chemical properties. In other words, they have lost their original natures: They have been denatured.

You can also do this denaturing to seafood or meat with a strong acid like lime juice, high concentrations of salt, and weirdly -- air and alkalis (opposite of acid) under certain conditions.

Me, I just like to eat. I love a good spicy beef salad, so I made my own by marinading beef strips in lime juice, lemon juice, water, crushed garlic, onion, green onion, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and a touch of cooking sherry (hey, it was there!).

I cooked it up (I know I denatured it already with the lime, but I like my food warm) with some sliced carrots and a tablespoon of fish sauce and served it over sticky rice and sliced tomatoes. Sweet and spicy with that lime tang! I made jasmine rice with a dolop of blue agave nectar, a low glycemic sweetener (ok, it's cactus juice!) in order to make it slightly sweet to balance out the spiciness for the kids.

It looked a little like this picture, but it didn't last long enough on my plate to take photos. I must have been thinking about yam nuea (spicy beef salad) when I made it, only I rarely use a recipe.

What's Cookin' Mama? Doner Kebab

Doner Kebab is possibly my family's favorite dish. Doner Kebab means "rotating roast" and is a Turkish dish. There are a number of different ways to prepare it, from a full course meal to a street side snack like a gyro. We typically prepare it using a boneless leg of lamb (keep the fat on!), garlic, tomato sauce, onion, thyme, melted butter, and a side of plain yogurt.

It is by no means a "light" dish, but rather a rich and sumptuous one. You'll love it or hate it - lightweights need not apply. If you love bold flavors, this is the dish for you.  All measurements are via the pinch and dash method, so YMMV.

Cut and peel several pieces of garlic clove and distribute it throughout a boneless leg of lamb by making shallow incisions with a knife (go on, stab it!). Roast the leg of lamb at 325 degrees in the oven for half an hour per pound.

Cut up a medium sized onion and saute in a medium saucepan. Add several cans of tomato sauce, and a couple dashes of thyme. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let simmer for several hours, stirring occasionally. The longer the simmer, the more the onion and thyme flavor will permeate the tomato sauce.

Meanwhile, get some flat bread and cube into bite size pieces. You can use pita, pide, or similar, but cubed french bread works just as well. Melt a stick of butter in a small saucepan and keep warm. Use real butter, it's worth it.

When the lamb is done, remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes. Carve the lamb as thinly as possible into one or two bite chunks.

Cover the bottom of a plate with the flat bread, layer on the shaved lamb, and ladle your sumptuous tomato sauce over the meat. Drizzle melted butter over the same, and serve with a side of plain yogurt for dipping.

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Get more great recipes over at Shoved To Them hosted by aka the Mom!

What's Cookin' Mama? Chicken Curry

I love to cook, because I love to eat. Mrs. Nod cooks from necessity, because the Nodlings will starve otherwise.

We got a crockpot when we first got married and it served us well. It has since been replaced which is a testament to its usefulness. Our is a Rival brand and it came with a cookbook of sample recipes. Mrs. Nod is the saving kind, so she actually refers back to it now and again in search of new recipes.

One of the crowd pleasers is Chicken Curry (we use a mild/medium curry so there are no complaints). In fact, Mrs. Nod figured out how to convert this dish into a stove top recipe for when we're in more of a hurry, so you know it's pretty yummy.  Everybody we've introduced to the dish has come away happy. Now, you try!

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

21 1/2 ounces cream of chicken soup, canned

1/2 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup butter

4 green onions, chopped

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons salt

dash pepper

rice, cooked

 

Directions

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces; place in slow cooker.
2. Add remaining ingredients except for rice.
3. Cover; cook on High 2½-4 hours or Low 6-8 hours.
4. Serve over rice.

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Get more great recipes over at Shoved To Them hosted by aka the Mom!