Cream of White Winter Vegetables Soup
This seasonal recipe comes to you courtesy of Levana Kirschenbaum. It’s a very hearty and comforting soup, and very popular at our Thanksgiving table. Dried chestnuts are available at International food markets.
Cream of White Winter Vegetables Soup
¼ cup olive oil
3 leeks, white parts only, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 small turnips, peeled and cubed
3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2” sections
1 cup dried chestnuts
1 celery root, peeled and cubed
2 cups soy milk
a pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped chives, to garnish (optional)Heat the oil and sauté the leeks and onion until translucent. Add all the vegetables, the chestnuts and 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Using a hand-blender, blend until smooth. Mix in the soy milk and the spices and heat through. Don’t let the soup boil after adding the soy milk. Garnish with chopped chives.
Where do you get kosher dried chestnuts? I never cook with chestnuts because peeling them is such a huge pain, and I haven’t found the pre-peeled sort with a hechsher.
The pre-peeled ones in the jar are steamed, and require a hechsher. The dried variety are just that - dried. Like any other pure, dried vegetable, they don’t require a hechsher. Like whole, dried chiles. I’m in NYC and I got my last batch at International Grocery: 543 9th Ave. Many gourmet stores carry them, and of course online.
Speaking of chestnuts, I saw pre-pack, peeled, roasted chestnuts with a hechsher at kosherfest. Perhaps they’ll be on store shelves soon. They were good eating, right out of the bag. Izzy’s Chestnuts.
Do you think I can use rice milk instead of soy?
I don’t see why not, but I’ve never used it myself.