The blend of sweet potato and chestnuts gives this soup a wonderfully rich texture, with sauteed onion and celery being pureed into it to add more flavor without overpowering it. I love it! But this soup is a labor of love, from anyone who's been willing to crack and peel those chestnuts. It's not an easy task, but it is quite a treat. Hopefully, you can find fresh chestnuts, fairly large, firm, and shiny, at an Asian market. In the standard grocery stores, they will probably only be seasonal, though fall and winter. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. Chestnuts
• 1/2 c. celery
• 1/2 c. onion
• 3 c. boiled, skinned Chestnuts
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
• Water for cooking
• 1/4 c. olive oil, plus for sauteeing
• 1/4 c. whipping cream, optional
  
• salt to taste
• fresh chopped thyme for garnishing (or substitute parsley or other fresh herbs)
  

To crack the shell on chestnuts, I've taken my big cleaver and whacked down on the shell as it's laying flat on my bread board. I do this at the opposite angle as well, making an X on the one side. My attempts to score the chestnut while holding it in my hand (a recommended approach) proved more difficult for me, so I like my "whack" method. Prepare chestnuts in that way: > 2 lb. Chestnuts

Boil chestnuts for 15 min., then work one at a time, removing hard shell and papery brown skin while chestnuts are still warm. Leave the rest of the chestnuts in the hot water at you work.

In soup pot, saute chopped vegetables in some olive oil: > 1/2 c. celery > 1/2 c. onion

Add: > 3 c. boiled, skinned Chestnuts > 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

Add: > Water to cover

Simmer until chestnuts are very tender, about 30 min. Drain off liquid, reserving the liquid, and process the cooked ingredients. To processed ingredients, add: > 1/4 c. olive oil > 1/4 c. whipping cream (if desired) > salt to taste

To that mixture, add last: > The reserved liquid from simmering the veggies and chestnuts

Garnish with: > fresh chopped thyme

You can leave the cream out, if you want to be even more healthy; it'll still be quite tasty.