ISO: ISO recipes including chestnuts

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evan

Well-known member
I was at a grocery sale in a neighboring town today (They had a huge sale on vegetables).

They also had chestnuts. I think they are vacuum packed (I assume they are pre-cooked).

How do I use them? As far as I remmeber, I have never eaten chestnuts, and I have never cooked with them. I have no idea how to use them. Please share some of your best recipes that includes chestnuts.

Of course, I bought three pounds of them....(pulling paperbag over head now).

If all else fails, I'll pass them on to some of my foodie friends over here.

 
REC: Chestnut and Fennel Soup

Chestnut and Fennel Soup
Serves 6 to 8

I onion, minced
A few flakes of hot chili pepper
Olive oil
1 fennel bulb and some of the stalk and fronds, chopped
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 lb shelled chestnuts
6 cups hot chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp butter

Saute the onion and chili flakes in a little oil until translucent. Add fennel, fennel seed and chestnuts. Cook for a few minutes, until the fennel starts to wilt, then add the hot broth. Simmer for 20 minutes or until chestnuts and fennel are tender. Puree in a food mill, passing it first through the large-holed disk and then through the smaller-holed disk (or use a blender or food processor and then pass through a fine sieve, pressing on solids). Stir in butter and season with salt and pepper.

Place a few homemade croutons in a warm soup plate, ladle over the soup. Add a dollop of truffle butter (if you can afford it). Garnish with a small fennel frond.

(From "Piano, Piano, Pieno: Authentic Cooking from a Tuscan Farm," by Susan McKenna Grant)

 
REC: Rum-Glazed Sweet Potato, Apple & Chestnut Gratin...

Rum-Glazed Sweet Potato, Apple And Chestnut Gratin

Recipe By :Gourmet
Serving Size : 8

3 pounds sweet potatoes -- pricked several times with a skewer
3 Golden Delicious apples
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup halved vacuum-packed roasted chestnuts
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground mace

Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees.

Bake the sweet potatoes in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender. Let them cool. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them diagonally into 1/4-inch slices.

Peel the apples and cut them lenghtwise into eights. In a bowl toss the apples with lemon juice and arrange them with the sweet potato slices in a buttered 14-inch gratin dish. Sprinkle with the chestnuts.

In a stainless steel or enameled saucepan cook the remaining ingredients over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Spoon the mixture oven the sweet potatoes and apples and bake the gratin in the middle of the oven, basting occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until the apples are just tender and the sweet potatoes are heated through.

The uncooked gratin, can be assembled 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated, covered. Bake, uncovered, basting occasionally, for 40 minutes. Put the gratin under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat until the edges are browned ligthly.

 
I attended a dinner in Piemonte, in Italy, at which 14 courses, each including chestnuts

were served. This chef had no reservations about chestnuts in everything. It was very enjoyable, including the soup. So don't hold back.

Sorry though, I don't even remember all the courses, let alone, have the recipes. Just go for it.

 
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