Chestnut and Wild Mushroom Soup With Parmesan Cream and Pears

Photo: Barcelona Bites

Ingredients

1/2 ounce pancetta or bacon, in one piece

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 cup carrots, cut into half-inch pieces

1/4 cup turnips, cut into half-inch pieces

1/4 cup onion, cut into half-inch pieces

1/4 cup celery, cut into half-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 1/2 pounds assorted chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup ounce dried porcini soaked in ½ warm water, then strained and ch1/2 cup sherry

1 quart chicken stock

Bouquet garni*

1/4 pound peeled chestnuts

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 cup white wine

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

Water

Salt and pepper

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus 2 tablespoons in ¼- inch dice

6 tablespoons peeled pear, in ¼- inch dice

6 tablespoons celery, in ¼- inch dice

Preparation

In a large soup pot, render the pancetta/bacon with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, turnips, onions and celery, season with salt and pepper and cook 8 minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized. Add the mushrooms and cook 15 minutes until tender and dry. Add the sherry and deglaze the pan. Add the chicken stock and bouquet garni and simmer 30 minutes. Remove the pancetta and bouquet garni and puree until smooth.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan. Add the chestnuts, season with salt and pepper, and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown. Add the shallot and cook 5 minutes. Add the white wine, bay leaves and thyme and reduce halfway. Add water to just cover the chestnuts. Cover with a round of parchment paper and cook 12 minutes or until tender. Remove herbs and puree until smooth.

Mix the two purees together. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To make the Parmesan cream, heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the cream is warm, whisk in the Parmesan cheese until it has completely melted. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

To serve, put a quarter-cup Parmesan cream in the bottom of a warm soup bowl. Carefully pour the mushroom chestnut soup in the center of the cream. The cream should move up the side of the bowl, forming a white rim around the dark soup.

Mix the diced pear, cheese and celery together. Top the soup with the diced mixture.

A bouquet garni is a combination of herbs bundled in cheesecloth or tied with a string and used to flavor soup, stocks and sauces. I bunched together fresh thyme, sage, dried bay leaves and rosemary. You can also add dried or fresh marjoram, celery leaves or leek to your bundle.