Chestnuts for Christmas?!
Chestnuts for Christmas?
Im looking for different Vegetarian Ideas for Christmas Lunch.
I want to use Chestnuts, but beyond that am open to ideas.
Answers:
rose elliott in her christmas cookbook makes these wonderful chestnut things. They are like little vienna sausages made out of chesnuts and wrapped in puff pastry. They are good.
I'm making this one except I'm using veggie broth instead.
Sounds delicious!!
Caramelized Chestnuts and Brussels Sprouts
Serves 8
Two cups vacuum-packed whole cooked chestnuts in jars can be substituted for fresh ones. Chestnuts are easiest to peel while hot; peel one at a time, holding in a clean kitchen towel.
3/4 pound fresh chestnuts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds brussels sproutstrimmed and cut in half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Homemade Turkey Stock , or low-sodium canned, skimmed of fat
1. Heat oven to 400°. Using a paring knife or a chestnut knife, cut a large "x" into the shell of each chestnut on one side. Arrange on a baking pan in a single layer, cut side up. Roast until flesh is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately remove and discard shells, keeping chestnuts whole if possible. Set chestnuts aside.
2. Melt butter and oil in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 16 to 18 minutes.
3. Add roasted chestnuts. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until brussels sprouts are tender and spotted deep brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Add vinegar, sugar, and turkey stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has been reduced to a syrup, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, and serve.
You can make desserts, add them the veg like the Brussel sprout recipe given, in soups with sweet potatos, cooked and diced into veggie patties and mashed and added to turnip and carrots and made into a mashed/ bake with butter, brown sugar and a hint of nutmeg.
When I was a chef we used them in many ways, think of them as another veg and experiment, buy some and try it out and see how you like them, I spit mine with a paring knife and bake them in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 inute, or you can split them and boil them for the same time, let them cool take off the shells and either refrigerate them or put them in Ziplock bags and freeze them until Xmas.