Creamy Chestnut Soup with Porcini and Crispy Guanciale

The creamy chestnut soup with porcini and crispy guanciale is a dish that embodies the richness of autumn flavors. It is a refined comfort food that can warm you up during the coldest evenings. Here’s how to prepare it with an Italian touch:

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh or pre-boiled chestnuts
• 200 g fresh porcini mushrooms
• 100 g guanciale
• 1 medium onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Parsley for garnish
• Fresh liquid cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by scoring the chestnuts if they are fresh, then boil them in water until soft. If using pre-boiled chestnuts, you can move directly to making the velouté.
2. Cut the guanciale into cubes and sauté in a pan until crispy. Then set aside on paper towels.
3. Meanwhile, clean and slice the porcini. In a large pot, make a soffritto with extra virgin olive oil, chopped onion, and carrot and celery cut into small dice.
4. Add the porcini mushrooms to the soffritto and let them cook until they have released their water.
5. When the mushrooms are soft, add the chestnuts and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.
6. Blend everything with an immersion blender until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous velouté. Adjust salt and black pepper. If you want a creamier texture, you can add a little cream.
7. Serve the velouté in bowls, garnished with the crispy guanciale, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and a drizzle of raw olive oil.

Interesting Facts

The chestnut velouté is a traditional dish from some mountainous areas, where these fruits are easily available and are a staple food. The addition of guanciale and porcini enhances the sweet flavor of the chestnuts, creating a delicious contrast and a dish with a unique, enveloping taste.

I wish you bon appétit and hope this velouté gives you some of the warmth and flavors of Italian autumn tradition.