KABOCH SQUASH AND CHESTNUT SOUP WITH CHIPOTLE CRèME FRAîCHE

Kaboch Squash and Chestnut Soup with Chipotle Crème Fraîche image

Provided by Patricia Yeo

Yield Makes 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Chipotle Crème Fra‮che
1 cup ruby Port
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon canned chipotle chilies or 1 teaspoon crushed dried chipotle chilies
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 8-ounce container crème fraîche or 1 cup sour cream
Soup
Vegetable oil
2 2 1/2-pound kabocha squash, cut horizontally in half, seeded
8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 7.4-ounce jars whole roasted chestnuts
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Steps:

For chipotle crème fra‮che:
Combine Port, wine, chilies, and tomato paste in heavy small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to thick paste, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Transfer to small bowl; cool. Fold in crème fraîche. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.
For soup:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush baking sheet with oil. Place squash halves, cut side down, on prepared sheet. Bake squash until very tender, about 1 hour. Scoop squash from skins. Measure 6 cups squash and transfer to large pot (reserve any remaining squash for another use). Add broth and chestnuts to pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer soup uncovered until chestnuts are very tender, about 30 minutes. Mix maple syrup into soup. Puree soup in batches in blender until very smooth; return to same pot. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.)
Rewarm soup. Ladle into bowls. Top each serving with chipotle crème fraîche.