Ingredients:

8 tablespoons vegan margarine

4 cups whole roasted chestnuts (about 11/2 pounds)

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 leek, mostly white parts, well rinsed and chopped

1 parsnip, peeled and chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

7 1/2 cups vegetable broth 1/2 cup Madeira wine

2 or more parsley sprigs, chopped Pinch of grated nutmeg

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

Tofutti brand Imitation Sour Cream

Cayenne pepper

Preparation:

To roast chestnuts: Choose fresh, firm, unwrinkled chestnuts with no signs of spores. On the flat side of each chestnut, take a small knife and cut an “X” from one end to the other. Make sure you cut all the way through the shell. Lay the chestnuts in one layer in an oven-proof dish. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 25–30 minutes, until the cuts peel back naturally from the heat. Cool only slightly. Peel off the outer shell and the fuzzy skin, and set nuts aside.

In a heavy saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the margarine over medium heat. Add chestnuts and sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of margarine in heavy, large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrot, parsnip, leek and celery; sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Add the chestnuts, Madeira wine, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.

Purée the soup in batches in a food processor or blender. Transfer the puréed soup to a large soup pot and reheat, stirring frequently.

When it’s thoroughly heated, ladle the soup into bowls. Top it off with a dollop of non-dairy sour cream and sprinkle slightly with cayenne pepper.