I have a big bag of chestnuts and fancy chestnut soup

[mrsmike]

so what is the best way to do it, do I boil them, then peel them, then make the soup, and do I have to cut a cross in the top of them, or is that just when you roast them? I know it's labour intensive but remeber doing it years ago and was delicious! And do you have to boil them for AGES ... thanks

oh thank you, really I just need to know how to prepare the chestnuts before they go in the soup - the boiling/peeling business? do any of the recipes tell you how to do that, or do they use ready prepared chestnuts?