Roasted Chestnut, Parsnip, and Apple Soup

I'm not really a big soup person, but this was another of the recipes in my new Gordon Ramsey cookbook. Since the other recipe involved roasted chestnuts, and I was going through the trouble of roasting and peeling them, I thought I may as well make enough for both recipes. It's a super easy soup; the vegetables are sauteed in butter until slightly browned, then stock is added, and the soup is simmered until the vegetables are tender.  Then it gets pureed (I used my fancy immersion blender that makes soup more fun to make) and finished off with heavy cream. That's it!  I deviated a bit from the recipe, adding more herbs and spices, because the original oddly contains none.  The salad is a red leaf lettuce salad topped with chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, walnuts, and an English Stilton with apricots; the dressing is just olive oil, white wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Roasted Chestnut, Parsnip, and Apple Soup 
(Adapted from Gordon Ramsey's recipe appearing in Cooking with Friends)

2 tablespoons butter
2 medium parsnips, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
8 ounces roasted chestnuts, shelled, peeled, and roughly chopped
4 cups hot chicken stock
2 sprigs thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Dash nutmeg
Fresh cracked black pepper
Sea Salt to taste
Light cream for serving

Melt the butter in a small stock pot, and add the parsnips and celery. Stir over high heat until the vegetables are lightly golden, 4-6 minutes. Tip in the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft, 4-5 minutes longer.

Add the chestnuts, seasoning, and sprigs of thyme; pour in the stock to cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and remove the sprigs of thyme. Use an immersion blender to blitz the soup to a smooth and creamy puree.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.  If the soup is too thick, thin with stock or boiling water. Reheat gently.  Serve in warm bowls with swirls of cream.

This is definitely going to be a fall go-to recipe, it's the perfect way to usher in cooler temperatures and take advantage of fall produce.