Puree of Chestnuts

Peel one pound of chestnuts, plunge them into boiling water so as to remove the inner skin, then lay them in a saucepan, and moisten them to their height with white broth (No. 189), adding a stalk of celery. Cook them with the lid on over a moderate fire, and when soft, and the broth entirely reduced, pound them in a mortar with two ounces of butter, seasoning with a little salt and sugar; pass this puree through a hair or tinned brass sieve (iron sieve should not be used for passing purees) and return it to the saucepan to heat without ceasing to stir, but at the same time watching that it does not boil, beat in a little veloute (No. 415) and cream.