Chestnuts - cracking good food

When I was a boy, it is fair to say not all things culinary occupied my mind. As far as chestnuts were concerned, outside the kitchen those green nuts were prized by the local kids as a superbly spiked missile that absolutely terrified those unfortunate enough to be bombarded by them.

Times have changed since then, and now I have developed new respect for this prickly customer.

Chestnuts (the European sweet chestnut as opposed to the inedible horse chestnut) have been highly regarded throughout history as an important source of carbohydrates, especially in communities where the geography was unsuitable for the planting of crops such as wheat and barley. Those who lived in the mountains and heavily wooded areas used chestnuts as a complete substitute for flour and many dishes and regional specialities developed as a result.

These days those restrictions are thankfully no longer but still, the sight and smell of chestnuts being roasted by street vendors or over an open fire seem to strike a chord with most of us no matter our backgrounds.

It may take a little work to make the most of this interesting nut but once the technique is mastered, chestnuts are worth the effort. When the nut matures it drops to the ground and as it dries it naturally splits to reveal the inner nut most of us are familiar with.

The easiest way to remove the remaining layer is to score the nuts carefully at the pointed end and boil them in water for 15 to 25 minutes. Remove from the water and allow them to cool just enough to handle.

The outer two layers can be easily removed with the aid of a sharp paring knife and the middle flesh reserved for later use. Like all fresh nuts, if the chestnuts are not going to be used fairly quickly after skinning it is worthwhile freezing them to keep them at their best.

If you are interested in planting a chestnut tree, be sure to research the variety as some species, such as the European and American varieties, are easier to skin than others. Once the nuts are prepared the hard part is over and you can get cooking.

Here are several recipes to get you up and running. Chestnuts - a nut really worth the cracking.

 

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Roast organic chicken with mash, beans and chestnut stuffing
Serves 4

1 size 20 free-range organic chicken
4 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt and pepper
1 recipe potato mash
200g fresh green beans, finely sliced and blanched
1 recipe chestnut stuffing

Preheat oven to 180degC. Place chicken into an ovenproof roasting dish, rub with olive oil and season well. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden brown, basting regularly.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Joint and carve chicken into 4 equal portions and serve with hot mashed potatoes, beans and chestnut stuffing. Finish with cooking juices and a little jus if desired.

 

Potato mash
Serves 4

500g Agria potatoes, peeled and quartered
100g unsalted butter, chopped
fresh nutmeg, grated
salt and pepper

Place potatoes into a medium-sized pot and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cooked. Drain and then mash potatoes well before folding in the butter and seasoning to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

 

Chestnut stuffing
Serves 4

1 cup chestnuts
150g fresh bread, crust removed
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
half a red onion, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 rashers streaky bacon, finely sliced (optional)
¼ cup sage, finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

Score chestnuts with a sharp knife at the pointed end and boil for 15 minutes in a medium pot of water. Drain and allow to cool for 1 minute before removing the husk and inner skin. Roughly chop and reserve.

Place bread into a food processor and blend for 20 to 30 seconds to make coarse breadcrumbs. Heat butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, add onion and cook for 3 minutes without colour before adding the garlic and bacon. Reduce heat to low and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and mix with breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Add sage, chestnuts and olive oil and mix together well, seasoning to taste. Place into a small ovenproof dish and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

 

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Honey parfait with glace chestnuts
Serves 6

140g caster sugar
6 free-range egg yolks
450ml cream, whisked to a soft peak
zest of 1 small orange
2 Tbsp liquid honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups glace chestnuts

To make parfait, line a 30cm x 7cm terrine mould or loaf tin with plastic wrap, allowing a 5cm overhang.

Place sugar and half a cup of water into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Continue to boil until syrup reaches 116degC (soft-ball stage) using a heatproof sugar thermometer.

Meanwhile, whisk yolks until pale and thick. While the machine is still running, slowly add the hot sugar syrup carefully down the side of the bowl. Continue to whisk until mixture has cooled. Pour into a large stainless steel bowl and carefully fold in cream, zest, honey and vanilla.

Pour mixture into mould and freeze overnight.

Remove parfait from mould by placing the sides of the mould in hot water for five seconds. Gently turn out on to a clean chopping board and slice into 12 pieces.

Place two pieces of parfait on to each plate and top with glace chestnuts and a little syrup.

Serve immediately.

 

Glace chestnuts
Makes 2 cups

5 cups chestnuts
2 cups caster sugar
2 cups water
60ml Drambuie

Score chestnuts with a sharp knife at the pointed end and boil for 15 minutes in medium pot of water.

Drain and allow to cool for one minute before removing the husk and inner skin.

Place sugar and water into a medium pot and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce heat to low and add peeled chestnuts to the sugar syrup.

Simmer for 30 minutes, topping up the sugar syrup with a little extra water as it reduces.

Remove from heat and allow to cool in the syrup. Once cool, add Drambuie and reserve in an airtight container.

 

 

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Brussels sprouts with bacon and chestnuts

1 1/2 cups chestnuts
12 medium-sized Brussels sprouts
30ml extra virgin olive oil
4 rashers streaky bacon, roughly chopped
20g unsalted butter
1 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
sea salt and pepper to taste

Score chestnuts with a sharp knife at the pointed end and boil for 15 minutes in medium pot of water.

Drain and allow to cool for one minute before removing the husk and inner skin. Reserve for later use.

Slice Brussels sprouts as finely as possible, discarding the stems and the worst of the core. Heat olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium to high heat then add the bacon and cook until crisp.

Add Brussels sprouts and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds before adding butter and chestnuts. Continue to cook for another minute before removing from heat. Add chopped parsley and season to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as a side dish.

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• Bevan and Monique Smith own Riverstone Kitchen, supreme winner of the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year 2010. Situated on SH1 in North Otago, just south of the Waitaki bridge, they are open Thursday to Monday from 9am-5pm, and also from 6pm from Thursday to Sunday, but closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

www.riverstonekitchen.co.nz

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