*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                       Chestnut Soup With Amaretto

Recipe By     : Washington Post
Serving Size  : 8    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Soups

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2       lb           Fresh chestnuts
   2                    Carrot
   2                    Parsnip
   1       sm           Onion
   1       cl           Garlic
   2                    Scallion
   3                    Celery rib
   4       tb           Butter
   5       c            Brown stock
                        Bouquet garni
   3       tb           Amaretto liqueur
   1       c            Heavy cream
                        Salt -- to taste
                        Black pepper -- to taste
                        Cayenne pepper
                        Nutmeg

  Make a slash in the rounded side of each chestnut and roast in a
  preheated 400°F oven for 5 minutes. Peel off the shell and inner
  skin. Peel the carrots, parsnip, onion, and garlic. Finely chop all
  of the vegetables, including the scallions and celery. Melt the
  butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and
  cook for 5 minutes, or until soft but not brown. Add the chestnuts,
  stock, and bouquet garni. Gently simmer the soup for 40 minutes, or
  until the chestnuts are very soft.
  
  Remove the bouquet garni and puree the soup in a blender or food
  processor. Return the soup to the saucepan, adding the amaretto,
  2/3rds of the cream, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg to
  taste; the soup should be very flavorful. If a sweeter flavor is
  desired, add a spoonful of brown sugar.
  
  To serve, ladle the chestnut soup into warmed bowls. Pour a little
  of the remaining cream into each bowl and marble it into the soup,
  stirring with a skewer. Chestnut soup is extremely rich, so keep
  the rest of the meal simple.
  

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