Chestnut-Apple Soup With Calvados Cream

• 10 pitted prunes
• 1/4 cup Calvados or Cognac, more for drizzling
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 14-ounce jars whole roasted chestnuts
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 2 medium, sweet apples (such as Gala), peeled, cored and cut into inch cubes
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. 1. Place prunes in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes; drain. Return prunes to bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons Calvados. Cover with plastic wrap and reserve until ready to use.
2. 2. In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Stir in sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Add chestnuts and cook, stirring occasionally to coat chestnuts with butter mixture, until chestnuts are golden and caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Calvados and cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet, until liquid is mostly evaporated. Remove chestnuts from heat.
3. 3. In a large pot, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the celery, carrots, shallots and leek; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. 4. Stir in chestnuts, apples, stock and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Tie thyme and parsley together with kitchen twine and add to pot. Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are very tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove herbs and discard.
5. 5. Puree soup in batches in a food processor or blender (or use an immersion blender). Return soup to pot. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Keep soup warm over low heat.
6. 6. With an electric mixer, beat remaining 1/2 cup cream with remaining 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg until cream forms soft peaks.
7. 7. To serve, place a prune in each bowl. Fill each bowl with a ladleful of soup. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and drizzle with Calvados.

prunes, calvados, unsalted butter, sugar, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, freshly ground nutmeg, chestnuts, celery stalks, carrots, shallots, only, sweet apples, chicken stock, thyme, parsley, heavy cream

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/chestnut-apple-soup-with-calvados-cream-50064592 (may not work)