Mrs Beetons Soups Revisited
Chestnut (Spanish) Soup
1.1lt (2 pints) Medium Stock
340g (12oz) Spanish Chestnuts
150ml (¼ pint) Cream
Cayenne and Mace
Salt, to taste
Remove the outer rind from the chestnuts
Put into a large pan of warm water.
As soon as this becomes too hot for the fingers to remain in it, take out the chestnuts.
Peel quickly and immerse in cold water and wipe and weigh them.
Cover with good stock and stew them gently for rather more than 45 minutes or until they break when touched with a fork.
Drain, pound and rub through a fine sieve reversed.
Add enough stock, mace, cayenne and salt.
Stir often until it boils and add the cream.
The stock in which the chestnuts are boiled can be used for the soup, when its sweetness is not objected to or it may, in part, be added to it and the rule is, that 340g (12oz) of chestnuts should be given to each 1.1lt (2 pints) of soup.
Time: rather more than 1 hour.
Sufficient for 4 persons.
Seasonable from October to February.
CHESTNUT (SPANISH) SOUP
124. INGREDIENTS - 3/4 lb. of Spanish chestnuts, 1/4 pint of cream; seasoning to taste of salt, cayenne, and mace; 1 quart of stock No. 105.
Mode - Take the outer rind from the chestnuts, and put them into a large pan of warm water. As soon as this becomes too hot for the fingers to remain in it, take out the chestnuts, peel them quickly, and immerse them in cold water, and wipe and weigh them. Now cover them with good stock, and stew them gently for rather more than 3/4 of an hour, or until they break when touched with a fork; then drain, pound, and rub them through a fine sieve reversed; add sufficient stock, mace, cayenne, and salt, and stir it often until it boils, and put in the cream. The stock in which the chestnuts are boiled can be used for the soup, when its sweetness is not objected to, or it may, in part, be added to it; and the rule is, that 3/4 lb. of chestnuts should be given to each quart of soup.
Time - rather more than 1 hour.
Average cost per quart, 1s. 6d.
Seasonable from October to February.
Sufficient for 4 persons.
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