Winter chestnut recipes
Chestnuts are the perfect dish as the days get colder. Their sweet, earthy flavour make them a great addition to stews or desserts or delicious eaten alone.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients
Method
1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully cut a cross into the rounded side of each chestnut.
3. Soak in a bowl of hot water for 1 minute.
4. Drain chestnuts and pat dry. Place in a large bowl.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss to thoroughly coat.
6. Place in a roasting tin and bake for around 30 minutes until the skins open and the insides are tender.
7. When cool enough to handle, peel away the charred shell and serve while still warm.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Cooling time: 10-12 hours
Ingredients
Method
1. With a sharp paring knife, score a cross at the pointed end of each chestnut, place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile put half the sugar in a pan with 250ml water and place on a low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil.
3. Take the chestnuts off the heat. Remove each chestnut from the water, remove the outer shell and inner skin and place into a bowl of warm water with a squeeze of lemon.
4. Once all have been de-shelled, drain and dry thoroughly.
5. Add the chestnuts to the hot sugar syrup. Bring up to a simmer and cook gently for 25-30 minutes or until tender (the time will depend on the size of the chestnuts).
6. Meanwhile, prepare the final glaze by putting the remaining sugar and 150ml water in a small pan. Heat slowly, stirring, to dissolve the sugar, then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chestnuts from their cooking syrup and place them on a wire cooling rack. Add the cooking syrup from the chestnuts to the glaze syrup and bring back to the boil. Then remove from the heat.
8. Put a small glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Pour a little syrup into the bowl and prepare a second small bowl with freshly boiled water in it.
9. Using a skewer, take a chestnut and dunk it first in the hot water, then into the hot sugar syrup. Place back on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with all the chestnuts, topping up the bowl with more syrup from the pan if you need to.
10. Leave the chestnuts to dry in a warm airing cupboard or a very, very low oven (around 50°C) for 10-12 hours.
11. Wrap each chestnut in a twist of greaseproof paper (optional) and store in a cool, dry place.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Peel the butternut squash, halve and remove the seeds. Cut into large wedges and place in a large roasting tin with the onion and garlic.
3. Add the rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil, toss together and roast for around 25 minutes until golden and softened.
4. Place in a blender with the chestnuts and any roasting juices from the pan. Blitz, adding the stock a little at a time, until smooth.
5. Tip into a saucepan, add the remaining stock if necessary and bring to the boil and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Season to taste and serve with a drizzle of cream or dollop of crème fraïche.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
2. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onions and garlic cook gently for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add the chestnuts and cranberries and cook for a further 5 minutes.
3. Place the sausage meat in a large bowl and break up with a wooden spoon. Add the chestnut mixture, breadcrumbs, egg and chopped herbs, season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
4. Cover and chill until needed (you can make this a day ahead).
5. Cook in a buttered shallow ovenproof dish for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 6 as a starter
Ingredients
Method
1. Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and keep to one side for later. Lay the mushrooms upside down in a large oven dish, toss with the olive oil and place a small knob of butter inside each one. Sprinkle with thyme and drizzle with vinegar. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
3. For the stuffing, soften the onions in a large pan with a little butter until golden. Finely chop the stalks of the mushrooms and place into a large bowl with the sausage meat (if using), breadcrumbs, chestnuts, garlic and rosemary. Mix well, season and add to the pan with the onions and allow to cook through.
4. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and heap the stuffing into each one. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes or until the stuffing is crisp and golden.
5. Serve while hot with a side of mixed salad leaves.
Buttery roasted chestnuts
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1kg/2¼lb chestnuts
- 2-3 sprigs rosemary
- 125g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp table salt
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully cut a cross into the rounded side of each chestnut.
3. Soak in a bowl of hot water for 1 minute.
4. Drain chestnuts and pat dry. Place in a large bowl.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss to thoroughly coat.
6. Place in a roasting tin and bake for around 30 minutes until the skins open and the insides are tender.
7. When cool enough to handle, peel away the charred shell and serve while still warm.
Candied chestnuts
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Cooling time: 10-12 hours
Ingredients
- 750g chestnuts
- 1kg granulated sugar
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 vanilla pod
Method
1. With a sharp paring knife, score a cross at the pointed end of each chestnut, place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile put half the sugar in a pan with 250ml water and place on a low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil.
3. Take the chestnuts off the heat. Remove each chestnut from the water, remove the outer shell and inner skin and place into a bowl of warm water with a squeeze of lemon.
4. Once all have been de-shelled, drain and dry thoroughly.
5. Add the chestnuts to the hot sugar syrup. Bring up to a simmer and cook gently for 25-30 minutes or until tender (the time will depend on the size of the chestnuts).
6. Meanwhile, prepare the final glaze by putting the remaining sugar and 150ml water in a small pan. Heat slowly, stirring, to dissolve the sugar, then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chestnuts from their cooking syrup and place them on a wire cooling rack. Add the cooking syrup from the chestnuts to the glaze syrup and bring back to the boil. Then remove from the heat.
8. Put a small glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Pour a little syrup into the bowl and prepare a second small bowl with freshly boiled water in it.
9. Using a skewer, take a chestnut and dunk it first in the hot water, then into the hot sugar syrup. Place back on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with all the chestnuts, topping up the bowl with more syrup from the pan if you need to.
10. Leave the chestnuts to dry in a warm airing cupboard or a very, very low oven (around 50°C) for 10-12 hours.
11. Wrap each chestnut in a twist of greaseproof paper (optional) and store in a cool, dry place.
Chestnut & roasted butternut squash soup
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 12 chestnuts, roasted, peeled and chopped
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Peel the butternut squash, halve and remove the seeds. Cut into large wedges and place in a large roasting tin with the onion and garlic.
3. Add the rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil, toss together and roast for around 25 minutes until golden and softened.
4. Place in a blender with the chestnuts and any roasting juices from the pan. Blitz, adding the stock a little at a time, until smooth.
5. Tip into a saucepan, add the remaining stock if necessary and bring to the boil and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Season to taste and serve with a drizzle of cream or dollop of crème fraïche.
Chestnut and cranberry stuffing
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 100g chestnuts, cooked and roughly chopped
- 100g dried cranberries
- 100g sausage meat
- 200g breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ¼ x 30g pack fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped
- ¼ x 30g pack fresh sage, leaves picked and chopped
- ¼ x 31g pack fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
2. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onions and garlic cook gently for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add the chestnuts and cranberries and cook for a further 5 minutes.
3. Place the sausage meat in a large bowl and break up with a wooden spoon. Add the chestnut mixture, breadcrumbs, egg and chopped herbs, season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
4. Cover and chill until needed (you can make this a day ahead).
5. Cook in a buttered shallow ovenproof dish for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
Chestnut stuffed mushrooms
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 6 as a starter
Ingredients
- 6 large flat mushrooms
- 80g butter
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 6 sprigs thyme, picked
- 6 sprigs rosemary, chopped
- 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 400g good quality sausage meat (optional)
- 200g breadcrumbs
- 250g chestnuts, roasted and chopped (around 20 chestnuts)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Mixed salad leaves, to serve
Method
1. Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and keep to one side for later. Lay the mushrooms upside down in a large oven dish, toss with the olive oil and place a small knob of butter inside each one. Sprinkle with thyme and drizzle with vinegar. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
3. For the stuffing, soften the onions in a large pan with a little butter until golden. Finely chop the stalks of the mushrooms and place into a large bowl with the sausage meat (if using), breadcrumbs, chestnuts, garlic and rosemary. Mix well, season and add to the pan with the onions and allow to cook through.
4. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and heap the stuffing into each one. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes or until the stuffing is crisp and golden.
5. Serve while hot with a side of mixed salad leaves.