Holiday Cooking : Nuts for Christmas

Chestnuts are inseparable in my memory from my favorite outdoor winter activity--shopping for the holidays. When I was a kid, we’d stroll down New York’s Fifth Avenue to see the holiday windows and stop to watch the skaters in Rockefeller Center. And we snacked on freshly roasted chestnuts bought from the street vendor.

But now I live in Los Angeles, not New York, so I invite friends over and we roast chestnuts at home. Their burnt, nutty aroma fills the house.

From a nutritional standpoint, chestnuts make perfect cold-weather snacks because they’re energy-rich and nutritious, and they, along with water chestnuts, have the lowest fat content of all nuts. Only 5% of their calories comes from fat. Compare that to, say, walnuts, which get 85% of their calories from fat.

When you buy fresh chestnuts, they should be heavy, hard and shiny dark-brown. And don’t worry about shelling them for it’s well worth the time it takes.

The method I prefer is to make crisscross incisions in each and then drop the chestnuts into boiling water for two minutes. Whether you boil or roast them, the shell curls where you’ve made the incision. Begin peeling as soon as the nuts are cool enough to handle, but still warm. Use a paring knife to remove both the hard outer shell and the dark-brown inner skin.

Another method is to begin by cutting two crisscross gashes in the flat side of the nut. Place the nuts in a skillet over high heat and drizzle with a teaspoon of cooking oil for each pound of nuts. Shake the skillet to coat the nuts and transfer the skillet to the oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Then peel and skin as described.

If you buy shelled dry chestnuts, reconstitute them by soaking in water overnight before cooking. One-half pound of dry chestnuts is equivalent to a pound of fresh. A pound of fresh chestnuts, or one-half pound dried, is sufficient for four servings.

Chestnuts are also available in cans, both sweetened and unsweetened. The sweetened ones are quite serviceable for use in dessert preparations, but the unsweetened product is bland and without charm.

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Chestnuts are a traditional food in southwest France and in much of southern Europe, especially Spain, northern Italy and the Balkan Peninsula. Before the introduction of corn, it was used in preparing polenta. During the holiday season, some Italian specialty stores still carry chestnut flour.

CHESTNUTS AND CABBAGE

1 pound fresh chestnuts or 1/2 pound dried

1 small head green cabbage

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

If using fresh chestnuts, cut 2 crisscross gashes in skin and drop into boiling water 2 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel off shells and inner skins. If using dried chestnuts, soak overnight in water, then drain before preparing.

Halve cabbage from top to stem and cut out center core. Place each half, cut side down, on work surface and shred leaves.

Melt butter in large skillet over low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add chestnuts, cabbage, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 25 minutes. Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 to 5 servings.

GLAZED CHESTNUTS

1 pound fresh chestnuts or 1/2 pound dried

Water

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

If using fresh chestnuts, cut 2 crisscross gashes in skin and drop into boiling water 2 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel off shells and inner skins. If using dried chestnuts, soak overnight in water, then drain, before preparing.

Place chestnuts in skillet just large enough to hold in 1 layer. Add water to barely cover. Add butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until water is completely evaporated. Continue to cook until chestnuts begin to darken slightly. Remove from heat. Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

CHESTNUT SOUP

2 pounds fresh chestnuts or 3/4 pound dried

2 strips bacon, diced

1 medium onion, diced, about 3/4 cup

4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

If using fresh chestnuts, cut 2 crisscross gashes in skin and drop into boiling water 2 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel off shells and inner skins. If using dried chestnuts, soak overnight in water, then drain before preparing soup.

Place bacon in soup pot. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes. Add onion and cook another 5 minutes, stirring, until onion is tender. Add chestnuts and stock. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add salt and white pepper. Serve soup piping hot. Makes 4 servings.