Renowned chef Daniel Boulud chatted with celebrity chef Judo Joo about how to bring out the warm flavors this holiday season.
“For Christmas, we have a long cocktail hour, with all kinds of things to snack on,” Boulud, 68, exclusively tells Joo, 48, in the newest issue of Us Weekly. “Then we have a big dinner with a warm soup, roast duck or ham and I love baked potato with butter and truffles.”
The Michelin-starred restaurateur shares that his go-to holiday menu usually includes “duck” and “always oyster and caviar.” For the soup, a classic option for him is his signature chestnut, celery root and apple recipe. Boulud also reveals that his wife makes a “toad-in-the-hole” which is a big hit amongst his family.
“I take a big slide of homemade brioche and butter and put the egg in the middle,” he explains of the dish. “And you can also add smoked salmon or ham.”
Boulud has built an impressive empire throughout his career. He owns three establishments in New York City, Miami and Dubai but is best known for his flagship restaurant, Daniel, in Manhattan. As he’s made a name for himself in the culinary industry, he’s also had the honor of cooking for several big names from world leaders to global superstars.
“I cooked for Andy Warhol and many presidents. I’ve also cooked for Jay-Z and his friends,” Boulud recalls. “After dinner we took pictures. Then Jay-Z said to me, ‘Would you like to say hello to Beyoncé? She’s in the car.” It was wonderful!”
As Boulud found success as a chef, he also likes to give back to his community. He has worked side by side with Citymeals on Wheels for the past three decades and has served as the organization’s copresident for the last 15 years.
“We bring meals to New Yorkers who can’t go shopping or cook,” he shares. “It’s a lifeline for so many, providing food, friendships and a strong community to those in need.”
Keep scrolling for Bouluds’s chestnut, celery root and apple soup recipe:
Chestnut, Celery Root and Apple Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 medium leek, white part only, trimmed, thinly sliced, washed and dried
2 McIntosh or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch cubes
10 ounces celery root, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
¾ pound peeled fresh chestnuts from 1¼ pounds chestnuts in shells, or ¾ pound dry-packed bottled or vacuum-sealed peeled fresh chestnuts
2 quarts homemade unsalted chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a stockpot or large casserole dish over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, apples, celery root, bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook.
2. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes or until the onions and leeks are soft but not colored. Add the chestnuts and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer.
3. Skim the surface regularly for 35 to 40 minutes or until the chestnuts can be mashed easily with a fork.
4. Add the heavy cream and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more. Then discard the bay leaf and thyme.
5. Purée the soup until smooth using a blender, food processor or hand-held immersion blender. Then pass it through a fine-mesh strainer. At this point, you should have about 2 quarts of soup. If you have more, or if you think the soup is too thin – the soup should have the consistency of a veloute or light cream soup – simmer it over medium heat until thickened.
6. Taste and, if necessary, adjust the seasoning. (The soup can be cooled completely and stored in a covered jar in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to a month. Bring the soup back to a boil before serving.)
7. Once ready to serve, reheat the soup, if necessary – the soup really needs to be hot – and ladle it into warm bowls. Enjoy!
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