Creamy parsnip and pea soup with chestnuts

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 shallot(s)
• 200 g parsnip(s)
• 10 g ginger
• 30 g butter
• 300 g peas, frozen
• 1 bay leaf
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 830 ml vegetable broth, hot
• 400 ml milk
• 300 g chestnut(s), peeled
• 20 g sugar
• some garden cress for decoration
• n. B. Lemon juice, approx. 1 – 2 dashes

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

Peel and finely dice the shallot. Peel the parsnips and cut into 2 cm pieces. Peel and grate the ginger. Heat the butter in a wide saucepan. Sauté the shallots over medium heat for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the peas, ginger, and parsnips and sauté for another 3 minutes while stirring. Add the bay leaf, white wine, and 750 ml stock, cover, and bring to a boil. Add the milk, cover, and bring to a boil again, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Now cut 100 g of the chestnuts into sixths. Caramelize the sugar in a pan until light brown. Add 80 ml stock (careful, it will splatter!). Stir in the chestnuts and cook over low heat until the liquid has almost evaporated. Heat the remaining 200 g chestnuts in the soup for 5 minutes. Puree the soup very finely with a hand blender (or in a blender) and season with 1-2 squeezes of lemon juice. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve garnished with caramelized chestnuts and some garden cress.