Sweet Chestnuts

Ticklemouse

Curry_Queen wrote:

Ermmmm am I the only one who thought they were both the same :eek:

Nope, C_Q. Until I read about them on this forum, (probably last season) I didn't know they were different either. I know we've lots of conker trees around here, must look out for the other sort.

Curry_Queen

Ticklemouse wrote:

Nope, C_Q. Until I read about them on this forum, (probably last season) I didn't know they were different either. I know we've lots of conker trees around here, must look out for the other sort.

Phew!!! I seriously thought that chestnuts were the same as conkers, although let me assure everyone I've never tried cooking conkers LOL! The only time I've tried hot roasted chestnuts was on Blackpool seafront during the illuminations and I didn't think much to them to be honest, although I like 'em in stuffing

Debt_Free_Chick

These are sweet chestnuts

And these are horse chestnuts -conkers!

Lia_3

This from the Vegetarian Society.
I haven't done it in the slow cooker yet but think it would work cooked that way too.


Autumn Casserole with Chestnuts
Chestnuts work well with root vegetables and also make this casserole more of a meal. I like to purée some of the cooked mixture to make the background texture more substantial. As with most dishes of this kind, they are best made the day before and reheated. Serve this with green vegetables and baked potatoes for a complete meal.

1tbsp sunflower oil
12oz / 350g leeks, trimmed and diced
3 sticks of celery, chopped
12oz / 350g parsnips, trimmed and diced
12oz / 350g carrots' peeled and diced
2oz / 50g chestnuts
2 pints / 1.2L stock
1 bay leaf
3tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3tsp chopped fresh thyme
1tbsp shoyu (Soy Sauce)
salt and pepper
extra chopped parsley for garnish

Method
1. Heat the oil and gently fry the leeks and celery until fairly soft.
Add the root vegetables and chestnuts and cook for a few minutes, stirring well.
2. Pour over the stock and mix in the herbs.
Add the shoyu.
Bring the casserole to the boil, simmer for 1½ hours or until all the vegetables and chestnuts are quite soft.
3. Remove approximately a cup full of vegetables and liquid.
Purée this until smooth, then stir back into the casserole.
Season to taste.
Then serve garnished with the extra chopped parsley.

Curry_Queen

I think our local veg shop possibly sell chestnuts so will send DS to go and find out this week, and if so, will try that recipe, sounds yummy!

Debt_Free_Chick

Aw, you guys (and gals) are so kind. Thanks for the "thanks"... I simply love free food from the hedgerows and am lucky to live in the country, where it's plentiful. To me, sweet chestnuts are easy to spot, as our neighbour's tree overhangs our drive

Other free food this weekend ... blackberries (fantastic, this year), damsons, apples (windfalls from two local orchards) and elderberries. Looking forward to sloes, haws & hips!

Plenty of preserves to be had

Thanks MSErs

delluver

Chestnut stuffing! Peel em, cook em (in a little water), mash em, smash em! And add a little butter of course - then freeze for xmas and reheat when you have a roast. Simply deeeelish

Rave

In France they do a sort of chesnut jam, which is absolutely delicious on waffles and pancakes. I have also bought bags of brussels sprouts mixed with chesnuts, the supermarkets seem to do them at christmas, very nice:).

There are loads of chesnut trees in Greenwich Park; when I was about 15 I tried rowing for a while, and cycling back one day I went through the park just as they were falling. There were a group of Chinese people collecting them from the ground around a group of smallish trees and throwing sticks into the trees to try and dislodge them. Anyway, they generously gave me a carrier bag so I could join in, so when one of their sticks got stuck I shinned up the tree to give it a shake and try and dislodge it. JACKPOT! A deluge of chesnuts fell out to accompany the stick, and all the Chinese people came dashing over chattering away excitedly to share the wealth. I ended up shaking about 5 or 6 trees for them with similar results, and left as a very popular man with a big bag of nuts:).

lucylou

I was going to post a couple of recipes and then completely forgot about it until now....here it goes then

chestnut cream (can be used to accompany turkey or chicken,I also eat it on its own)
Ingredients:chestnuts,milk,butter,salt
make a small cut on the chestnuts and put them in a pot .Cover with water and boil tehm for half an hour or so.Throw water out.Empty the pulp and put in pot again.Cover with milk and add a little salt and a small knob of butter .This will be ready when the milk has been absorbed.
It's super

lucylou

and here's the other one
this one is called Mont Blanc pudding
Ingredients:chestnuts,salt,milk,sugar,cocoa,whipping cream

Proceed as for chestnut cream above .Add a little cocoa.Put this cream through a potato thingie (sorry can't remember the name of this tool but potatoes come out as spaghetti from it) in a deep large dish.Whip the cream and add to it a little sugar.Add whipped cream to chestnut spaghettis and put in fridge to cool.
this one is super duper:j