Pumpkin Soup With Wild Chestnuts Recipe  As this is a holiday recipe, quantities here are generous, enough for a large family gathering of ten to twelve. Ingredients Serves 10 to 12 6 to 8 lb/about 3 kg whole pumpkin or pumpkin pieces 3 tablespoons/45 g butter 4 oz/125 g piece of bacon, diced 2 onions  sliced 2 potatoes (about 1 lb/500 g), diced 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, more to taste pinch of cayenne salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 quarts/1 1/2 liters chicken stock,Stock Recipes more if needed 1 lb/500 g wild or cultivated fresh chestnuts 1 quart/l liter/ milk, more if needed crème fraîche or heavy cream for garnish (optional) Method For a whole pumpkin, cut a slice from the top and base using a sturdy knife. Set the pumpkin firmly on a board and cut away the peel, working from top to base in a curving motion. Cut the peeled flesh into 1-in/2.5-cm chunks, discarding the seeds. If using pumpkin pieces, cut away the peel, discard any seeds, and cut the flesh into chunks. Melt the butter in a large soup pot, add the bacon, and fry it until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels for garnish. Add the onion to the fat and fry until starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the potato and garlic, and cook just until fragrant. Add the pumpkin pieces, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, pepper, and enough stock to just cover the pumpkin. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, and simmer until the potato and pumpkin are very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, light the broiler to cook the chestnuts. Poke each chestnut with a knife so they do not burst, then broil them, turning often, until they are tender, 8 to l2 minutes. Let them cool enough to handle, then peel them . When the pumpkin is tender, let the soup cool to tepid, and then purée it in the pan with a hand-held immersion blender, or use a food processor. Stir in the milk and bring the soup just to a boil, adding more milk if necessary so the consistency is rich and thick but not sticky. Stir in the diced bacon and most of the peeled chestnuts (set aside a few chestnut pieces for garnish). Reheat the soup for 1 or 2 minutes, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Serve the soup in a whole pumpkin, cleaned of seeds, and warmed in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, use individual warm soup bowls, swirling a spoonful of cream into each bowl and topping it with the reserved chestnuts This Recipe of the Month selection comes from Anne Willan's newest release: Anne Willan From My Ch"teau Kitchen (Clarkson Potter/Publishers. April 2000) www.randomhouse.com Read also: Potato Cake With Goat's Cheese Recipe  Caesar Salad Recipe Borscht Soup Recipe   Red Onion Galettes Recipe Fish Soup Recipe