Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1-1/2 pounds chestnuts, peeled
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 teaspoon white sugar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

To Cook Chestnuts:
With a sharp knife, slice an "X" across each chestnut. Place chestnuts in a single layer on a jelly roll pan. Pour 1/4 cup water into the pan. Bake in a preheated 450F oven for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, shell and peel.

In a large saucepan combine the chicken stock, shelled chestnuts and chopped onions. Place the parsley sprigs, cloves and bay leaf in a spice bag and add to the chicken stock mixture. Simmer over medium−low heat for 45 minutes. Discard the spice bag and puree the chestnut mixture in a food processor or blender. Add the heavy cream, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Return mixture to saucepan and gently heat through. To serve, add a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream, a bit of chopped parsley and some cooked chopped chestnuts on top.