One of my favorite Autumn treats is chestnuts. I was recently in the Ardeche region of France for a mushroom hunt and was thrilled to see all of the chestnut trees lining the roads.
In some regions, chestnuts are used as substitutes for potatoes, as they are quite starchy. They taste great in both sweet and savory dishes.
Roasting chestnuts is actually very easy. Just take a knife and make an “x” cut in the rounded side of the chestnut. Then roast them for about 20 minutes in a 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) oven. Pour them out onto a kitchen towel, wrap them up in the towel and let them cool for a few minutes. Then peel off the outer shell.
Eat them on the spot or save them for your favorite soup or stuffing recipe (or maybe for Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Chestnuts). Chestnuts will keep for several months in airtight containers in the freezer, too.
Hi Sherry!
I was brought up cooking chestnuts in a pan. I make an X, put a little water, and cover it. It takes about 10-15 minutes and has a nice burnt area usually where the X was. This time I made Xs on both sides of the nuts which was great too!
Susie