Chestnut Soup

Ingredients

• 400 g chestnuts
• 2 shallots
• 1 Garlic clove
• 200 g celeriac
• 1 parsley root
• 1 tbsp butter
• 600 ml Poultry broth
• 40 ml cognac
• Salt
• freshly ground pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 Tbsp crème double
• 100 g whipping cream (reserve 2 Tbsp)
• chervil for garnish

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) with both top and bottom heat. Score the chestnuts crosswise and roast in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the shells split open and the nuts are tender. Remove, let cool, then peel off the shells.

2. 2.

   Peel and finely dice the shallots, garlic, celeriac, and parsley root. Sauté them in hot butter until golden brown. Add the chestnuts, stir briefly, then deglaze with broth. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes.

3. 3.

   Use a slotted spoon to remove about one‑third of the chestnut mixture as a garnish. Puree the remaining soup finely. Return the reserved portion to the pot, whisk in crème double, cognac, and most of the whipping cream (leave 2 Tbsp). Bring to a boil.

4. 4.

   If the soup is too thick, add more broth. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Ladle into bowls, garnish with extra cream if desired, and sprinkle chervil before serving.