Squash-and-Chestnut Soup With Chipotle Cream

• 1 cup ruby port
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or crushed dried chipotles
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
• 2 1/2 pounds kabocha, acorn or butternut squash
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 10 ounces whole chestnuts, roasted and peeled
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Combine the port, wine, chipotles and tomato paste, bring to a boil and then simmer until the mixture is a thick paste, about 15 minutes.
2. Let cool, then whisk in the creme fraiche and refrigerate until serving.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
5. Place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until soft, about 1 hour.
6. When the squash is cool, scoop out the flesh and place 6 cups in a large saucepan.
7. Add 2 quarts stock and the chestnuts and simmer until the chestnuts are soft, about 30 minutes.
8. Stir in the syrup and puree with a hand blender or in batches in a blender.
9. Return to the saucepan and season to taste.
10. Reheat the soup and ladle it into bowls.
11. Drizzle with chipotle cream.

ruby port, red wine, peppers, tomato paste, creme fraiche, kabocha, chicken stock, chestnuts, maple syrup, kosher salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1758 (may not work)