Autumn Soup

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 cup calvados or 12 cup brandy
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 4 whole star anise
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 750 g pumpkin, fresh chopped
• 3 granny smith apples, peeled chopped
• 12 cup cooked chestnuts or 13 cup unsweetened chestnut puree
• 14 cup creme fraiche
• fresh sage, leafs deep fried as garnish

1. Melt the butter in a pan and together with th eolive oil saute the onion on a low flame until they become golden in colour.
2. Add the calvados and cook until the mixture is almost dry.
3. Add the stock, potatoes, pumpkin, apples, star anise, chestnuts and bayleaf.
4. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
5. REMOVE bayleaf and staranise, then blend in batches in a food processor.
6. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
7. To serve drop a tsp of creme fraiche on the top of the soup.
8. Garnish with chopped sage leafs.
9. * I serve this with bacon flavoured toasted baguette ( blend some bacon and butter, spread on bread, grill).

butter, olive oil, calvados, chicken stock, potatoes, star anise, onions, bay leaf, pumpkin, apples, chestnuts, creme fraiche, fresh sage

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/autumn-soup-355341 (may not work)