Creamy Chestnut Soup

8 Servings
4 lb chestnuts (8 cups) fresh
-whole,peeled
1 md onion
12 md shallots
4 stalks celery
5 oz prosciutto,Sliced
3 T butter
2 1/2 qt chicken stock,unsalted
1 t fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
1/2 t salt
1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 t white pepper,Fresh Ground
1/4 c cèpes (or porcini),Dried
-mushrooms
PREPARATION: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to
400F. With a small, sharp knife, slit the outer shell of each chestnut,
put them in a shallow baking pan, and roast until tender, 15 to 20
minutes. Peel off the outer shells and inner skins while still warm.
Reheat if the chestnuts cool and become difficult to peel. Peel and
thinly slice the onion and the shallots. Thinly slice the celery tops and
leaves (reserve ribs for another use). Julienne the prosciutto. Wrap
and refrigerate 2 tablespoons prosciutto for garnish.
COOKING: Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in an 8-quart soup kettle
and saute the onion, shallots and remaining prosciutto over medium
heat until softened, about 5 minutes. In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups
of the chicken stock to a boil. Stir the hot chicken stock into the shallot
mixture along with the chestnuts, celery, fennel seeds, bay leaf, and
1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and skim. Reduce the
heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove and set aside 16
chestnuts for garnish. Continue simmering until remaining chestnuts
are very tender, about 45 minutes longer.
Remove soup from heat, discard the bay leaf, and set aside to cool 15
minutes. Pour the soup into the workbowl of a food processor fitted
with a metal blade, or into a blender. Pure, then strain through a fine
sieve or tamis. (Can cover and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to
1 month.)