Chestnut Soup

I've never been a huge soup person. Something about drinking, slurping and otherwise not chewing my dinner doesn't really do it for me. Needless to say, when my friend said she was making soup for our Thanksgiving Extravaganza, I wasn't too over the moon about it.

Step back.

This soup is awesome. I even LOVED it! Of course it was number 17 of our 5,000 course dinner, but nonetheless, I was speechless! It was a little creamy and very filling. It also just made me all warm inside (well, duh, its SOUP!). And who knew I loved chestnuts so much?

Chestnut Soup
Doritte Cohen

1/2 stick butter

3 tablespoons diced carrots

2 tablespoons diced onions

3 tablespoons diced celery

2 cups chestnuts either frozen or in a jar

1 sprig thyme

2 cups port wine or good old manichevitz

2 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Add carrots, onion and celery. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add chestnuts and cook until fragrant. Add thyme and port and reduce by 3/4's.

Pour in chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 40 minutes. Let cool. Add cream and put in a blender.

Strain through a fine sieve. Adjust seasoning.

Add dalop of sweetened cream with honey or add dried cranberries for garnish.