A HOLIDAY CHESTNUT FEAST
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" on a chilly fall evening is a time-honored American tradition. Chestnut trees once covered the American forests from Maine to Georgia; gathering and roasting the nuts was an important fall ritual for the natives and settlers of early America. Eaten at the first Thanksgiving, chestnuts have been a special part of the holidays ever since. They have a sweet, delicious flavor, and can be used in many Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes, from soup to dessert. Try these recipes or create your own to enjoy an entire meal with chestnuts.
To Oven Roast: With a sharp knife, cut an “X” at the end of the nut. Be sure to cut through the outer skin down to the meat of the nut otherwise they can explode. Arrange X-cut chestnuts in a single layer in a roasting pan / baking sheet. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 15- 25 minutes or until the nut can be easily pierced with fork or knife tip.
Peel and enjoy!!!
To Precook and Peel Nuts:With a sharp knife or cleaver, cut the nuts in half. Place in boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and immediately peel. The half kernels will peel easily when still hot. Remove both the shell and the seed coat (the thin skin between the kernel and shell). Dunstan Chestnuts peel very easily! Other varieties, such as European imports often found in stores, do not.
To Microwave: Arrange X-cut Dunstan Chestnuts in a single layer in a microwave safe dish. Microwave on High for about 2 minutes. Microwave a maximum of 12 Chestnuts at one time so they cook evenly.
CHESTNUT APPETIZERS
Sauté pre-cooked peeled Dunstan Chestnuts in olive oil until golden, sprinkle lightly with Tabasco to taste, and add a dash of paprika. A real treat!
Poach chestnuts in red wine (Zinfandel or Chianti) with some bay leaves and a bit of water, until al dente'. Fabulous!
CREAM OF CHESTNUT SOUP
8 oz. chopped pre-cooked peeled Dunstan Chestnuts
2 c milk
1 T flour
1 t salt
¼ c butter
1 minced onion
½ c diced celery
1/8 c dry white wine
1 c half & half
1/8 t nutmeg
Melt butter and simmer onions until soft. Add flour, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Slowly add milk and chestnuts and simmer 10 min, Mash the chestnuts once lightly during simmering. Add the wine and cream; heat for several minutes but don't allow to boil. Serves 4-6.
TRADITIONAL CHESTNUT SOUP
6 T butter or margarine
2 lbs of pre-cooked peeled Dunstan Chestnuts
1 small carrot
1 c chopped celery
1 chopped onion
7 c chicken broth or bouillon
½ c red wine
nutmeg
Sauté chestnuts in 4 T butter for 10 mill. In a large pot, sauté onion, celery in remaining butter until tender. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add carrot and chestnuts and simmer for 15 min. Add wine and simmer a few more minutes. Puree soup in food processor. Return to pot and add salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg to taste. Simmer 10-15 min, stirring frequently. Serves 10-12.
NEW ENGLAND CHESTNUT STUFFING
1 lb dried figs, cranberries or other fruit
1 c sliced leek or chopped onion
½ c chopped green pepper
½ c margarine or butter
12 oz pre-cooked peeled Dunstan Chestnuts
10 oz fresh orange slices
¼ c snipped fresh parsley
1 t fresh thyme
¼ t ground red pepper
4 ½ c corn bread stuffing mix
1 ½ - 2 c chicken broth
Place fruit in bowl; cover with boiling water; let stand 10 min. Drain well. Cook leek and green pepper in hot margarine until leek is tender. Thaw and chop chestnuts. In large bowl, combine figs, leek mix, chestnuts, oranges, and spices plus 1 tsp salt. Stir in stuffing mix. Toss with enough broth to moisten. Bake for 45 min at 350°·F or use as stuffing for turkey or chicken. Enough to stuff a small to medium turkey.
CHESTNUT STUFFING WITH WILD RICE
½ lb lean bacon, cubed
4 med onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1-½ c finely diced celery
1 ½ lb mushrooms, sliced
½ c minced parsley
¼ t pepper
1½ T dried sage
8 oz wild rice, cooked 8 c cornbread crumbs
16 oz pre-cooked, peeled Dunstan Chestnuts, quartered
1-¼ c butter, melted
1 c broth or water
½ c brandy
Brown bacon, drain. Stir fry onions, garlic, and celery in drippings until golden. Add mushrooms, parsley, sage, and sauté, stirring occasionally 8-10 min. Mix all remaining ingredients and use for stuff mg. Wrap any left-over stuffing in foil and chill until about 1 hour before serving. Place in oven in roasting pan and let heat as roasting finishes. Makes 3 quarts, enough to stuff a large turkey.
CHESTNUT HOLIDAY STEW
1 lb small white onions, chopped
1 stick of butter or margarine
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 lbs beef, cut into 2-in cubes
1 12 oz can beer
1 t thyme
1 t salt
1 lb carrots, chunked
1 large acorn squash, chunked
16 oz pre-cooked, peeled Dunstan Chestnuts
6 oz lima beans
3 T flour
In large pot, brown onions and celery in half the butter. Remove to plate; in remainder of the butter, cook beef until well browned. Add beer, bouillon, thyme, salt and 1 ½ c water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 min. Add onions and celery and simmer 30 min more. After beef has cooked 1 hour, add remaining vegetables and chestnuts and cook until meat and vegetables are tender. In cup, mix flour and ¼ c water; stir into stew & cook till thickens. Serves 8.
CHESTNUTS WITH PEAS AND MUSHROOMS
2 lbs fresh shelled peas (or 2 packages of frozen peas, thawed slightly) ½ lb of mushrooms (oysters are excellent)
8 oz pre-cooked, peeled Dunstan Chestnuts, cut in halves
1 small onion, chopped
¼ c butter or margarine
Sauté onion and chestnuts in butter until onion is soft. Add peas and mushrooms and simmer until vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 6-8.
SPINACH MUSHROOM CHESTNUT CASSEROLE
3-10 oz pkgs frozen spinach
½ lb mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ T lemon juice
3 T butter
1 c white sauce
2 egg yolks, beaten
½ c Swiss cheese, grated
½ c bread crumbs
8 oz pre-cooked, peeled Dunstan Chestnuts
Cook spinach according to package directions. Press out water until nearly dry. Sprinkle mushrooms with lemon juice and cook in butter over moderate heat 5 min: fold into spinach. Arrange in shallow buttered 2 qt baking dish. Make white sauce, add egg yolks and stir until blended. Add boiled chestnuts. Pour over spinach. Combine grated cheese and crumbs, sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 min. Serves 6-8.
NATIVE AMERICAN CHESTNUT BREAD
The native Americans taught the early settlers to make this bread. Chop finely or mash one lb of peeled Dunstan Chestnuts. Add enough cornmeal to hold chestnuts together, mixing chestnuts and cornmeal with boiling water. Wrap in green com shucks, tying each one with white twine. Place in pot of boiling water and cook two hours. Salt when eating, if desired.
CHESTNUT FLOUR
Chop peeled Dunstan Chestnuts into small kernels. Dry in food dryer or oven at low temp until the nuts are almost rock hard. Grind into flour using food processor or flour mill. Store flour in freezer. Try substituting chestnut flour in all of your favorite cake and pastry recipes (substitute 1/4-1/3 chestnut flour for the recipe's flour requirements), or make chestnut pasta by using chestnut flour as part of your favorite pasta recipe I
CHESTNUT MONT BLANC
An delicious sweet alp of diced peeled pre-cooked Dunstan Chestnuts, snow-capped with sweetened whipped cream. A traditional favorite throughout Europe!
12 oz pre-cooked peeled Dunstan Chestnuts
3 c milk
2/3 c sweetener (optional)
2 t vanilla
1 pt heavy whipping cream
1/8-1/4 cup sweetener (to taste)
Simmer the chestnuts, milk, sweetener and 1 tsp vanilla in top of double boiler 30-40 min until tender. Drain (save milk for the pudding or custard you'll make later). Force the chestnuts through a potato ricer or coarse sieve, mounding into a high fluffy pyramid on a large platter. Chill 2-3 hours. Whip cream with the sweetener and remaining vanilla until soft peaks form and gently frost pyramid, letting a bit of the base show. Serve at once or refrigerate. Serves 4-6.
CHESTNUT PUREE
To prepare chestnut puree for use in other recipes, boil pre-cooked, peeled Dunstan Chestnuts in either water, broth, or milk until tender. Drain and either press through a sieve, process in a food processor, or grind in a blender. Whip in 2 T butter per cup of pulp. Add salt and pepper to taste for vegetable dishes, or sweeten with vanilla, spices or honey for use in dessert dishes. Puree can be stored in the refrigerator, frozen or canned for future recipes.
OUR FAVORITE DESSERT!
CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT TORTE
For the torte:
2 cups chestnut puree*
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
4 Tbsp dark rum
10 oz semi sweet chocolate
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar
Line bottom of greased 9”springform pan with wax paper, grease paper and dust pan with flour, knocking out excess. In food processor, blend puree with butter and rum, scraping down sides, softened until mixture is smooth. Add chocolate and blend mixture until it is well combined. With the motor running, add yolks, 1 at time, and transfer mixture to a large bowl. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with salt until they hold soft peaks, add sugar, a little chopped and melted at a time, beating, and beat meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one fourth of meringue into chocolate mixture to lighten it and fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.
Poor batter into prepared pan, smooth top and bake torte in middle of a pre-heated 350F oven for 45-55 minutes or until tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it and top is cracked. Let cool on rack for 5 min. remove side of pan, and invert torte onto another rack.
Remove bottom of pan, re- invert torte onto a plate. Cool completely. Torte will fall as it cools.
For the Glaze and Garnish:
6 oz semi sweet chocolate
½ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp dark rum
Put chocolate in a small bowl, in a saucepan bring cream to a boil, and pour it over it over chocolate. Stir mixture until chocolate is melted and glaze is smooth and stir in rum. Pour glaze finely chopped over torte, smoothing glaze with a spatula and letting excess drip down the side, and let torte stand for 2 hours, or until glaze is set. Serve the torte with whipped cream.
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