Posts tagged chestnut

Chestnut Risotto with flaked almonds

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adore a creamy, rich risotto on a cold evening. I’ll admit, with no sign of any greens, its not a nutritionally packed or balanced dinner in the slightest but it was a warm hug in a bowl we need right now on chilly weekday evenings when we’re house bound. It really did hit the spot and provided a festive hangover of creamy chestnut and garlic.

Whilst I’m no vegan, I would certainly urge any vegan missing their cream or cheese to try chestnuts as a replacement for that texture. They make a great hummus and are devine in desserts with caramel.

Chestnuts add a really natural creaminess to this one so you can use less cheese if you like but I always add a good handful or two of grated parmesan. Its subtle in flavour so don’t be tempted to overpower the topping too much.

Serves 4

  • 200g risotto/Arborio rice
  • 1 small white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stick celery, finely chopped
  • Sprig rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 25g butter + 1 large knob
  • 200g chestnut puree – make your own by blending chestnuts or use this one from Merchant Gourmet
  • 1 small glass Marsala wine (or brandy/white wine)
  • 1 stock cube (made up to 500ml or so of hot stock)
  • 50g approx, grated Parmesan cheese
  • Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • Flaked almonds, lightly toasted
  • Garnish – crunchy breadcrumbs/croutons – optional but adds a much needed crunch.
  1. Heat the knob of butter and a tbsp of oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Once melted, add the chopped onion and celery and gently sweat for about 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the rosemary and stir with some seasoning.
  2. Get your hot stock in a saucepan nearby on a low but constant heat.
  3. Crush in the garlic and cook for a further few minutes
  4. Add the rice and turn up the heat to medium high. You are aiming to toast the rice and cover it in the fat. After about a minute the grains should start to change colour. Add the alcohol of choice which will bubble away quickly.
  5. Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir. Bring the heat to a gentle simmer and simmer gently, adding more stock from the pan as it begins to be absorbed for about 18 minutes – time this and as you near 18 minutes keep tasting the rice. It should be just cooked but with a slight bite and most of your stock used. The mixture should be ‘sloppy’ for want of a better word.
  6. Once you feel the rice is ready, add the chestnut puree and stir well to incorporate, it will thicken so add a splash of stock to thin if needed.
  7. Seaosn with plenty of black pepper.
  8. Remove from the heat. Add the grated cheese and the butter and put a lid on. Leave for 2 minutes. Stir well to mix in the melted cheese and butter and add all but a handful of parsley.
  9. Serve in warm shallow bowls topped with the remaining parsley, roasted almonds and crunchy breadcrumbs/crouton!

Chestnut Butter

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Another little experiment with some free and slyly foraged chestnuts got underway last week. ‘Bonne Mamma’ currently do a chestnut spread but I’m never one to buy when I can make it at home with a little TLC. I’m keen on making nut butters, particularly my pumpkin seed butter which is now a delicious staple in my fridge.

The fresh vanilla seeds make this and are delicious so don’t scrimp on buying a few willing pods for your pantry.

NOTE: For tips on cooking chestnuts, see here

Makes 1 jar

  • About 250g cooked, peeled chestnuts.
  • 90ml honey
  • 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed
  • Pinch salt
  • Water to loosen
  1. Place all in a food processor and blend until smooth, adding water towards the end to thin to your liking.
  2. Store in sterilised, sealed jars and keep in the fridge.

Delicious slathered by the trowel-full on toasted sourdough or soda bread or inside the warm arms of a buttery croissant!

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Chestnut Bourbon Biscuits

 

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People often ask me where I get inspiration from for the recipes I blog. This one was unusually the Costa Coffee queue. Whilst waiting for my coffee at the counter I saw a giant bourbon and custard cream for sale. It seems these are the latest fad- giant confectionery which had me pondering that surely they are just the same as 5 normal biccies…? Anyway, its Autumn…chestnuts are littering my parents Wiltshire lawn like an unkept golf course so I thought I’d tackle not only the challenge of making something with them but with the challenge of making something sweet that wouldn’t get my mum rolling her eyes…

FYI. If I’d had a willing bottle of bourbon to hand I definitely would have added a splash to the filling instead of milk!

Makes about 15

Chestnut Biscuit

  • 75g raw chestnuts (of precooked vac-packed)
  • 85g dark soft brown sugar
  • 75g softened unsalted butter
  • 110g plain flour
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • Cocoa to dust

Filling

  • 100g butter, softened
  • 85g icing sugar
  • 20g cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp milk
  1. Start by cooking the chestnuts. Score a large cross on the base of each with a knife. Place in a saucepan of water and bring to the boil and boil fast for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain and you should find the skin is easy to peel off.image
  2. Place in a food processor and blend to a paste with the sugar. Add the butter and puree. Add the flour and baking powder and blend to form a smooth ball of dough.
  3. Form into a disc shape, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 150°C . Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut into whatever shape you like, just short of 1cm thick. Place on a lined baking tray and sieve over a sprinkling of cocoa powder.image
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cooked and golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
  6. Next, place the butter, icing sugar and cocoa in a food processor and blend. Add the milk and blend until you have a thick buttercream adding more milk for a thinner consistency.
  7. When the biscuits are cooled, spoon a teaspoon of the chocolate filling onto one biscuit half and sandwich with another.

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