Carolyn Nadeau’s translation of Francisco Martinez Montino’s, The Art of Cooking, Pie Making, Pastry Making, and Preserving: 1611

page 603

Translation:

Chestnut Soup

Stored chestnuts are usually used by Lent. Put the chestnuts on to boil in salted water and when they’re boiled, have a little bread toasted and soaked in vinegar. Then mince a little bit of green herbs – parsley, spearmint and cilantro – put it in a mortar and thoroughly grind it up. Then add the soaked bread and some of the chestnuts and grind in all up. Season with all spices and cinnamon and thin it with a little vinegar and chestnut broth. Add in honey as sweetener; it should be very sweet and a little thick and brown.

Redaction:

Boil peeled chestnuts in salted water.

Soak toasted bread in vinegar

Finely chop parsley, spearmint and cilantro.

Grind all the ingredients together.

Season with Francisco’s spice mix* and cinnamon. Thin with vinegar and the water the chestnuts were boiled it.

Sweeten with honey.

It should be very sweet, a little thick and brown.

*Francisco's spice mix is 4 parts black pepper, 4 parts ginger, 2 parts nutmeg, 1 part cloves, and a bit of saffron.