The pears and sweet potatoes in this soup help bring out the yummy chestnut flavor even more. Simple to make, with a creamy texture but without milk or cream.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound / 500 grams fresh chestnuts – alternatively 200 grams peeled chestnuts, quartered
• 2 pears, ripe but still firm
• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes – approx. 400 grams
• 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ TBSP olive oil
• 1 liter of chicken stock – or ½ chicken stock and ½ water
• 1 tsp red pepper berries, lightly squashed in a mortar
• 1 TBSP honey
• Juice of 1 orange separated into 2 halves
• 2 TBSPs Port
• ½ clove of garlic
• 1 sprig each of rosemary, thyme, sage
• 1 pinch cardamom tea (optional)
• 1 pinch of edible lavender (optional)
• Salt & fresh ground pepper

Putting it all together:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• If you are using fresh chestnuts: wash the chestnuts and cut crosses into the pointy side, place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and peel while still warm. Chop the peeled chestnuts into quarters.
• Wash, peel and dice sweet potatoes and pears and place together in a bowl with half the orange juice and the pinch of cardamom tea if using.
• Add the chestnuts.
• In a soup pot, stir-fry the onion, garlic and celery in olive oil over medium-low heat until fragrant but not brown.
• Keeping the heat low, add the reserved vegetable/fruit mixture and stir-fry a few minutes longer.
• In the meantime, wash and chop the fresh herbs, which have been removed from their stems. Add them to the pot along with the salt, fresh ground pepper and the squashed red pepper berries; stir to combine.
• Add the honey and the port. Stir again.
• Pour in the stock, stir and cover. Cook on lowest heat simmering for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the other half of the fresh orange juice, stir, cover and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Puree carefully so as not to burn yourself.
• If the soup is too thick add some warm water (probably around 1 cup) until the right consistency.
• Re-warm briefly if needed and serve in a pretty soup cup or bowl with nut bread or baguette.

Serves 6