Chestnut, Celery Root and Apple Soup

This creamy fall soup contains nutty chestnuts with sweet celery root and apples. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving or any other special fall meal. Bonus: It can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen so it’s ready when you are.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
1 medium leek
2 McIntosh or Golden Delicious apples
10 ounces celery root
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
3/4 pound peeled fresh chestnuts from 1 ¼ pounds chestnuts in shells, or 3/4 pound dry-packed bottled or vacuum-sealed peeled fresh chestnuts
2 quarts homemade unsalted chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation
1.Heat the oil in a stockpot or large casserole over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, apples, celery root, bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes or until the onions and leeks are soft but not colored. Add the chestnuts and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to a simmer. Skim the surface regularly for 35 to 40 minutes or until the chestnuts can be mashed easily with a fork. Add the heavy cream and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more. Then discard the bay leaf and thyme.
2.Purée the soup until smooth using a blender, food processor or hand-held immersion blender. Then pass it through a fine-mesh strainer. At this point, you should have about 2 quarts of soup and the soup should have the consistency of a velouté or light cream soup. If you have more, or if you think the soup is too thin, simmer it over medium heatuntil thickened. Taste and, if necessary, adjust the seasoning. (The soup can be cooled completely and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to a month. Bring the soup back to a boil before serving.)
3.To serve: Reheat the soup, if necessary, until piping hot, and ladle it into warm bowls.