For Soup Base

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 18 oz pkg whole roasted & peeled chestnuts
• kosher salt & black pepper to taste
• 1” piece of ginger, peeled & grated
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 3 small  potatoes, peeled & diced (about 3 cups) - Yukon Gold suggested
• 2 tbsp spiced rum
• 2 tbsp apple cider
• enough fresh water to cover ingredients by 2"

For Mushrooms

• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided as needed while cooking
• 3 large king oyster mushrooms, sliced into disks & scored
• black pepper to taste
• 1” piece of ginger unpeeled
• 1 clove garlic, unpeeled & smashed
• leaves of 5 sprigs of thyme
• 2 tbsp butter

Special Equipment

• microplane
• offset spatula
• large sauté pan
• immersion blender

Make Soup Base

1. In a medium pan, melt butter and allow it to cook until slightly browned over medium heat
2. Add chestnuts, salt and pepper. Add grated ginger and garlic. Stir and cook until garlic starts to almost brown
3. Add potatoes, stir. Deglaze with rum and cider, and stir to get the flavorful bits off the bottom of the pan
4. Cover with water to 2” over the potatoes and chestnuts
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, about 20 minutes or until potatoes and chestnuts are tender

Sauté Mushrooms

1. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, pepper, ginger and garlic. Cook one minute, then flip when golden. Allow second side to sauté about 30 seconds
2. Add thyme and butter. Tip pan to spoon butter over mushrooms, basting with the pan juices. Cook 1 more minute
3. Test for doneness with a cake tester or a toothpick

Purée & Serve

1. Purée soup with hand-held immersion blender. If using household blender, allow mixture to cool slightly before transferring and puréeing
2. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed
3. Spoon into individual bowls and garnish with sautéed mushrooms