Best Roast Chestnut And Wild Rice Soup With Onion Toasts Recipes

ROAST GOOSE WITH WILD RICE-CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Cooked wild rice according to package instructions (you should have about 4 cups cooked). Set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Remove giblets from goose. Remove loose fat from around cavity openings. Discard or reserve for another use.
• Prick skin and fat with a skewer in several places, being careful not to pierce meat.
• Sprinkle goose inside and out with salt and pepper. Rub with orange zest.
• Fry bacon in a skillet until crisp. Add onion, celery and parsley and sauté 5 minutes.
• Stir in chestnuts, cooked rice and herbs. Season to taste with salt.
• Stuff goose with this mixture. "Sew" cavity shut with skewers and cotton twine. (do not stuff goose until ready to roast).
• Place goose breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast about 20 minutes per pound. (if skin begins to brown too much, cover loosely with foil.).
• Remove to cutting board and let rest 15 minutes.
• Remove stuffing to a bowl and carve goose.

WILD RICE SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, oil and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook the onion, celery and carrot in butter until vegetables are almost tender. Stir in flour until blended; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in broth and undrained rice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in the cream, rosemary and salt. Simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

ROASTED CHESTNUT SOUP

Steps:

• If you have skinned chestnuts, proceed to step 2. If your chestnuts still have their skins, preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a sharp (preferably curved) paring knife to make an X on their flat sides. Roast them in one layer in a baking pan for 10 to 15 minutes, or until their skins begin to open away from the meat. They will then be easy to peel; remove both outer and inner skins while they are warm. (The peeled chestnuts will cook faster if you chop them roughly, but it isn't necessary.)
• Meanwhile (if you have skinned chestnuts, start here), put the olive oil or butter in a deep skillet or casserole over medium heat. A couple of minutes later, add the celery, onion, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and the chestnuts, bring to a boil, and partially cover. Adjust the heat so that the mixture simmers and cook until the chestnuts are mushy, about 30 minutes.
• Carefully puree the soup in a blender (if you are not in a hurry, cool it slightly first for extra caution). Measure and add water to make 6 cups of liquid. Reheat, adjust the seasoning if necessary, garnish with celery leaves or parsley, and serve.
• Variations
• I like to elaborate on this soup in two ways, depending on what I've got in the fridge and whether meat eaters are coming to dinner:
• Chestnut Soup with Bacon: Start by rendering 1/4 cup or so of diced slab bacon; scoop out the solids and reserve them for garnish, then sauté the celery and onion in the rendered fat and proceed as directed.
• Chestnut Soup with Shiitakes: Garnish the soup with a cup or so of shiitake mushrooms (caps only), sliced and sautéed in butter or oil until crisp.

ROAST CHESTNUT AND WILD RICE SOUP WITH ONION TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a sharp knife and a kitchen mallet, lightly tap an X into the flat side of each chestnut. Place chestnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, cut side up. Roast until the shells begin to peel back, about 15 minutes. Cool, peel and set aside.
• In a 6-quart soup pot over low heat, melt butter until it foams. Add onion, and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and shallots; saute 2 more minutes.
• Add chestnuts, wild rice, bay leaves and stock to pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chestnuts are tender, about 15 minutes. Add cream, return to a simmer and remove from heat.
• Add thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Using a blender, puree half of the soup. Return puree to the pot, adjust seasonings, and serve topped with onion toasts.