Roasted Chestnut Soup
This soup rocks and it is really easy to make. It comes from Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times.
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup onion
1 quart chicken stock/broth
salt and pepper
10 - 15 roasted chestnuts
2 Tbsp olive oil
To roast the chestnuts cut an X on the flat side and toast in oven for about 10 minutes at approximately 400 degrees. Then peel the skins off. You can chop the chestnuts roughly if you want but it doesn't really matter.
Saute the celery and onion with salt and pepper to taste in the olive oil for 10 minutes. Add chicken broth and chestnuts. Bring to a boil and let simmer (not boil) for 30 minutes or until chestnuts are mushy. Purée in batches in food processor or blender or better yet use a handheld immersion blender right in the soup pot until smooth. Garnish with celery leaves and serve!
Yummy!
Strangely enough the first time I made this I used chestnuts that were a couple of weeks old (read somewhat shrivelled) and I swear this soup had a really intense flavour that was even yummier then the versions with fresh chestnuts that I made after. They were all good though!