Chestnut season is here - and not only are they wonderful warm straight from the oven but there are may foods you can prepare using chestnuts! These starchy nuts contain more starch than potatoes do. This is the only nut that is treated like a vegetable or a grain because of their soft and starchy inside. Traditional nuts are crunchy - chestnuts are not.

Chestnuts must be boiled or roasted before eating because of their high tannic acid. they are cured for a week - which brings out their sweetness. If not completely cooked, digestive problems arise. the thin brown shell and the fuzzy, brown, bitter inside coating is removed before eating or using in cooking.

Used in soups, stuffings, desserts, etc. - chestnuts add a wonderful flavor to your dish!

In addition to whole fresh, chestnuts are also available canned, in polypacks, and frozen. So you can now use them pretty much all year round.

Braised Fennel w/Chestnuts & Shallots

6 fennel bulbs
4 tbls butter
15 small shallots
1/2 lb fresh chestnuts, peeled
2 tbls sugar
2 1/4 cus chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Trim the fennel, reserving some of the fronds for garnish. If necessary, discard the tough outer layer. Quarter the bulbs and set aside.

In a large, wide saucepan melt 1 tbls butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and chestnuts and saute, stirring occasionallh, until chestnuts are browned on all sides. Cover pan, reduce heat to low, and cook, shaking pan from time to time, until chestnuts are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the shallots and chesnuts from the pan and set aside.

Add remaining butter to pan and melt it over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and suage and saute until fennel is well browned on all sides, about 12 minutes.

Add shallots, chestnuts, broth, salt and pepper to the fennel. Stir to combine, removing any crispy bits from the bottom of the pan. Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook, carefully turning vegetables occasionally until they are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove cover, raise heat, and cook until liquid reduces to a glace.

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with reserved fennel fronds.

In our house we usually only eat chestnuts on Thanksgiving in our Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing. The trick to peeling the chestnuts is to place them on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven. Make sure to cut the top of the chestnuts with an X before baking them, this will make it easy to peel the chestnuts. When you take them out of the oven and begin peeling them keep a kitchen towel over the nuts not peeled yet, this will keep the warm and moist making it easier to peel them.

Chestnut Stuffing
(12 cups)

8 cups chestnuts
6 cups beef stock
2 onions, chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 lbs sausage meat
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp sage
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup cognac


Cut gashes in flat side of each chestnut. Cover the chestnuts with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain and let cool. Remove the shells and inner skins.

Cook chestnuts in stock 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving stock for soup. Chop half the chestnuts coarsely and mash the rest. Set aside.

Cook onions in butter until golden brown. Add sausage and seasoning and cook, stirring constantly, 4 to 5 minutes. Add to the chestnuts.

Soften the crumbs in milk or water. Press out the excess liquid and add to the chestnuts. Add the cognac and mix well.

There's a neat gadget on the market called the Chestnutter...put the nut in it, squeeze the handles and you've got the 'X' without the knife hazards.
I suppose we should mention, however, that [my experience] chestnuts have a 'shelf life' of 2 days, maybe, so don't buy them until the last minute.
Doug