Chestnuts

Chestnut vendors appearing on New York City street corners are a sure sign that the Christmas season has arrived. The aroma of roasting nuts permeates the air, making them almost impossible to resist. Try holding one in your bare hand and you’ll need to toss it around to keep from being burned. But in the crisp, cold air, it doesn’t take long before it’s cool enough to peel and enjoy.

There aren’t any chestnuts vendors on the streets of Los Angeles, but when nights get nippy and there’s a log burning in the fireplace, a few chestnuts roasted in the embers can be just as satisfying. Or stop by the booth in Farmer’s Market at Third Street and Fairfax Avenue and buy freshly roasted Chinese chestnuts on a chilly morning or evening.

The Chinese variety are smaller and have a much sweeter taste. Only in the past year or so have they also become available at Los Angeles area Chinese grocery stores, so you can do your own roasting.

Most of the markets’ larger fresh chestnuts are imported from Italy, although a small number grown here in California do reach our stores. (Please see related article on Page 12.)

We didn’t always import most of our chestnuts. Until a blight early in this century killed most American chestnut trees, forests throughout the East provided an ample supply of nuts. The disease was accidentally introduced to the East Coast from the Orient in 1904, and spreading at the rate of about 20 miles a year, killed an estimated 3.5 billion chestnuts trees over the next half century.

After years of research, however, species resistant to the blight have been developed and chestnut trees are once again growing in many areas of the United States. Only here in California, however, are enough being grown to harvest commercially.

In Italy, many of the chestnuts trees grow in walled parks, according to Peter Kopke, whose father started a company in Lake Success, N.Y. that has imported fresh Italian chestnuts for the past 51 years. The city of Avellino, near Salerno, is the center of production. “In that area you see hundreds of walled parks all over the hills,” said Kopke.

Although roasted chestnuts are delicious for out-of-hand snacking, they also may be used in a variety of recipes. Today’s sampling ranges from breakfast pancakes to soup, stuffing and an incredibly decadent chocolate dessert.

We tested several ways of preparing fresh Italian and California chestnuts, but the most successful method came from Kopke. For easiest peeling, he suggests not only cutting an X in the flat side of the nut, but also making another cut completely around the outer rim between the flat and curved side.

The nuts are then ready to be roasted, blanched or boiled. Kopke said salt plays an important part in removing the inner skin of the chestnut.

ROASTING: Place prepared chestnuts in shallow pan with small amount of water. Sprinkle liberally with salt and roast at 400 degrees 20 to 30 minutes, turning frequently. Remove and cool enough to handle, then peel off shells and inner skins.

The nuts may also be roasted in an open fire as long as you have something to rake them out of the coals with, or in a chestnut roasting pan. Or try roasting them on an outdoor grill.

BLANCHING: Cover chestnuts with cold water and add one to two teaspoons salt per pound of chestnuts. Bring to boil and boil 1 minute. Drain nuts and peel off shells and inner skins while still warm. If some nuts are difficult to peel, boil again briefly.

BOILING: Proceed the same as for blanching, but boil 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

The smaller Chinese chestnuts may simply be roasted in a toaster oven at 350 degrees about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, make a break in the shell with your fingernail, then crush the nut between your fingers and peel.

Food Styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane

MARGARET CLARK’S GUENOC WINERY CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT GATEAU

Butter

2 cups crumbled canned chestnut puree

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brandy

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 eggs, well beaten

2 tablespoons flour

Honey Sauce

Line bottom of 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Butter pan sides and parchment paper.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in small saucepan. Slowly incorporate well into chestnut puree in medium bowl. Add honey, brandy and cream and continue mixing until thoroughly blended.

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water. When melted, but only lukewarm, add 1/2 at time to chestnut mixture, mixing well at low speed. Add eggs and blend well, still at low speed. Stir in flour, mixing well.

Pour into prepared pan and bake at 300 degrees 35 minutes or until just sent in center. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on rack.

Unmold onto plate just before serving. Serve with Honey Sauce. Makes 16 servings.

Note: If chestnut puree is not available, 1 (8 3/4-ounce) can chestnut spread (sweetened) may be substituted for 2 cups puree and 1/4 cup honey.

Honey Sauce

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons honey

3 eggs yolks, well beaten

1 teaspoon orange flower water

Warm milk over medium heat until small bubbles appear around edge. Whisk honey into egg yolks, then continuing to whisk, add milk slowly until throughly mixed.

Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until slightly thickened. Do not boil. Cooked sauce should coat spoon.

Remove from heat and strain into small bowl. Stir in orange flower water, cover and chill thoroughly before serving (sauce will thicken somewhat during cooling). Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Note: Orange flower water is available at specialty food markets.

VEGETABLES IN CHESTNUT CREAM SAUCE

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 1/4 cups chopped roasted chestnuts

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup milk

Salt, white pepper

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 cups sliced carrots

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Saute onion and 1 cup chestnuts in 1/4 cup butter. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually add chicken broth and milk. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until thickened. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Cook broccoli, cauliflower and carrots in boiling water until tender-crisp. Drain. Combine with cream sauce and spoon into casserole.

Saute remaining 1/4 cup chestnuts, rosemary and bread crumbs in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes about 8 servings.

Note: If prepared ahead, sprinkle casserole with bread crumbs just before baking. Increase baking time if vegetables have been refrigerated.

CREAM OF CHESTNUT SOUP

1/2 cup minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup minced celery

1 cup chopped chestnuts

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

1 cup whipping cream

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Salt

1/4 cup sliced chestnuts

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons apple brandy

Saute onion, garlic, celery and chopped chestnuts in 1/4 cup butter until onion is transparent. Blend in flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually add milk and whipping cream. Return to heat and bring to boil.

Place mixture in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to saucepan and add chicken broth and white pepper. Season to taste with salt. Heat to serving temperature.

Saute sliced chestnuts, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add apple brandy and cook until alcohol evaporates. Use to garnish soup. Makes 4 cups.

CHESTNUT APPLE STUFFING

1 pound chestnuts

2 slices bacon, diced

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup minced onion

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups diced apples

1 teaspoon sage, crushed

5 cups day-old dry bread cubes

1 cup chicken or turkey broth, about

Salt, pepper

Roast or blanch chestnuts. Dice and set aside.

Saute bacon in skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Add butter to bacon drippings and heat until melted. Saute onion and celery until tender-crisp.

Add apples, sage, bread cubes, chestnuts and enough broth to moisten, tossing lightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add bacon.

Use to stuff medium-size turkey, 2 large ducks or bake in greased casserole during last hour of turkey or duck roasting (about 325 degrees). Makes about 8 cups stuffing.

CHESTNUT WAFFLES

1 (8-ounce) jar roasted whole chestnuts

1 3/4 cups sifted flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated

1 1/4 cups milk

1/3 cup melted butter

Mascarpone

1 (10-ounce) jar marrons in vanilla syrup, sliced

Maple syrup, optional

Place 12 chestnuts in food processor and process until smooth. Chop remaining chestnuts. Los Angeles Times Food Styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane

Resift flour with baking powder and salt.

Beat egg yolks with milk and melted butter until smooth. Add chestnut puree and continue bating until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat until well blended. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Fold into batter.

Pour 1 cup batter at time over preheated waffle iron and spread into even layer. Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons chopped chestnuts. Bake until golden brown and waffle iron stops steaming.

Serve waffles spread with mascarpone and garnished with marrons, vanilla and maple syrup. Makes 4 (8x8-inch) waffles.