Velvety mushrooms and chestnuts soup "shots"

This is a great idea to serve at your buffet table among other nibbles and finger food dishes on New Year's Eve or any other party occasion. Who said that soup could not be served in small quantities? Here we have a delicious recipe and impressive at the same time if served in small shot glasses to be easier to handle

Recipe of Alexandros Papandreou,

"Gastronomos" magazine of "KATHIMERINI" newspaper (2009)

Ingredients (for 20-25 shots):
50 ml of olive oil
1 large yellow onion, grated
1 clove of garlic, minced
500gr. of fresh mushrooms (small white or Portobello), finely chopped
120gr. of chestnuts, ready cleaned and vacuum packed (or 300gr. of fresh, boiled for 35 minutes and peeled)
600 ml of chicken stock
3-4 tbsp of single cream
2 tbsp of finely snipped chives (or 3-4 small Spring onions (the green shoot), finely chopped)
salt
pepper

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some thin chive blades to garnish
4 tsp of truffle oil to drizzle (optional)

Method:
In a large pot warm the oil on medium heat and sauté the onion for 2 minutes until it is translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, being careful not to get browned.

Add in the pot the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring with the spoon.

Then add the chestnuts and the stock and when the ingredients come to the boil turn the heat down to medium-low, cover with the lid and simmer for 25-30 minutes until everything is very tender.

Take the pot off the heat, add the cream in and stir. Transfer the soup into a blender (in batches) and whiz until the ingredients are completely mashed (if you prefer a finer texture pass it through a sieve).

Transfer the soup back into the pot, taste to check the seasoning, sprinkle with the chives (or the Spring onions) and warm it on very low heat for 1-2 minutes.

Divide into small shot (or wine) glasses, drizzle on top with 2-3 drops of truffle oil (if used) and decorate with the chive blades.