25g of unsalted butter, one medium onion (chopped), one stick of celery NOT karfus, which is lovage (chopped), two bay leaves, 500g of chestnuts (peeled), a litre of hot, homemade chicken stock, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, freshly ground nutmeg, 220ml crème fraiche, dry sherry or Madeira.
Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan and, over a lowish heat, soften the onion and celery. Stir in the chestnuts, then add the stock, bay leaves, and some salt and pepper. Take care when adding salt, as the stock may be quite salty already. Bring the soup to the boil, partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Grate in a generous amount of nutmeg, but omit this altogether if you don’t have a nutmeg available (Good Earth stocks them). Stir in the crème fraiche. Bring the pot back to the boil, partially cover it and simmer for another 15 minutes. Allow the soup to cool a little, then blend it to a smooth, but not too smooth, puree. Check the seasoning. If you feel it is too solid, dilute it with milk, stock or water. Reheat if necessary, then pour into soup plates, splashing some dry sherry or Madeira into each one.