Mention chestnuts and most people think of autumn or winter, street venders roasting and selling their chestnuts on the street corners, the delicious scent permeating the air and tempting pedestrians with the aroma and memory of the sweet, nutty taste.  At least, that is the way it is with me.  Here in Spain the chestnut season is long and tinned puree is easily available even in small villages.

Chestnuts are the only nuts that must be cooked before they can be eaten (sorry, peanuts are not nuts but a legume).  There are chestnuts to eat and chestnuts for animal consumption ie: in English the horse chestnut or in German die Kastanie.  On this site, of course we mean those delicious nuts we roast, turn into a sweet paste, use for ice cream or my ultimate weakness Marron Glacé or Candied Chestnuts...caloric (who cares) and heavenly.  Just one or two are enough.

In Switzerland, there is a specialty of the sweet chestnut paste, pressed like long vermicelli over ice-cream and whipped cream.  Chestnuts in general are widely used in European cooking, but in my mind, it is Italy and most specifically the Gargagnana region in the Toscana that is most famous for its many uses of chestnuts, especially the flour or farina dolce or farina di castagna.  Of course it is sweet and nutritious and used in baking or cooking. It was the winter staple of the poor and helped families survive the long and cold months.  Ah, memories of the Toscana and the aroma and tastes of chestnut products!

A few facts:  chestnuts are low in fat and calories but high in quality carbohydrates and are in fact the only nut with significant amounts of Vitamin C.  Marroni in Italy are larger than castagna  and are more highly valued.

When you purchase chestnuts, be sure to look for glossy, firm and lovely nuts.  They should feel heavy for their size.  If they feel light, then they are not fresh and are drying out, however, roasted chestnuts will feel lighter, of course.

Removing the shell

The inevitable and necessary labour intense part.  Using a sharp paring knife, cut a small 'X' on the flat side of a chestnut (some just make a slash) - wouldn't be a bad idea to wear a glove in the hand you hold the nut in.  Roast in a hot oven 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes until they fee soft.  Better still, use a perforated chestnut roasting pan (specialty shop) designed for this purpose - and roast over an open fire or hot coals.

If you plan to use your chestnuts in recipes you can boil them, but you will still need to cut a cross or a slash in them.  Place in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil.  Simmer gently about 3 to 4 minutes, no more.  Remove from heat and allow them to sit a minute or so.  Remove several at a time and using a knife, work the shell off (it should be easy). 

Replace shelled chestnuts back into the hot water until you are ready to remove the membrane that most likely did not come off with the shell.  If the water has cooled, bring the water again to the boil and remove.  When all are done, drain on an absorbent cloth and fry in a little oil until the membrane is crisp and remove.  When they are cool enough to handle rub them between the hands and the membrane should come off easily.  Now they are ready for cooking.

According to most  recipes, they should be cooked gently in milk or stock until they are tender.  Overcooked chestnuts will crumble.

baked:  Once roasted, they are often crushed or ground and used in baking much like almond powder (finely ground almonds).  If you can purchase fresh chestnut flour, there will most likely be recipes on the package.

boiled:  Gently in milk until tender then added to a pudding or other dessert.  

braised: Braised with meats, especially wild meats - a delicious accompaniment.  Braising will only take a few minutes.

cooked:  In Germany, often added to red cabbage or a soup such as the French Potage de Marrons.  The are also combined with onions, mushrooms, brussels sprouts or as a savoury puree to accompany pork or game.

dessert:  A classic dessert is simply boiling them in a light vanilla flavoured sugar syrup until tender, then cooling on a rack, however to crystallize them you will need more time.  Look on the Recipe page for the recipe under Grand Finales.  After drying, store airtight in little bon-bon papers or a bit of parchment (or wax paper) baking paper.  Heavenly and a welcome present around the holidays!  After glazing them (following the recipe) and once they are cooled, they can also be dipped in chocolate.  Chestnut puree, sweetened with sugar or honey and flavoured with a little cognac is a favourite filling for crepes or piped onto desserts, such as chocolate gâteux.  A classic Italian dessert is Monte Bianco named after a famous mountain and is chocolate and rum flavoured pureed piped into a mountain shape and topped with 'snow' - whipped cream.  I have had it piped around a mound of chocolate or vanilla ice-cream then topped with the whipped cream.  In Greece, they are also used in puddings and baked desserts.

flour:  Found in Italian specialty shops or some health food shops, it is quite perishable.  Store in the refrigerator and use within one month.  It is used to thicken sauces, soups, in breads, cakes, puddings and Polenta or porridge made with olive oil (a Corsican dish called Ferinana).

roasted:  As above.

tinned (canned):  Canned chestnuts imported from France or Italy are sweeter than those from Hungary.  Puree de Marrons Naturael is unsweetened chestnut puree and is a good base for savoury or sweet dishes.  Crème de Marrons  is sweetened and used as an ingredient for sweet dishes or as a topping.  Try it whipped into hot milk or hot cocoa!  Chestnuts are also available whole and packed in water and are used mainly for garnishing, an ingredient for stuffing or braising with other vegetables.  Not to be confused with Chinese water chestnuts.

See Recipe Collection for more recipes!

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