Boiled Chestnuts Recipes

BOILED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water.
• Rinse the chestnuts.
• Place one chestnut on a damp tea towel with the flat side down. Hold it firmly between your thumb and finger and score through the two layers. That is to say, the outer hard shell and the soft inner membrane. Take extra caution in cutting them.
• Place the scored chestnuts in the pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to obtain a nice gentle simmer and place a cover, tilted slightly open. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes. The total boiling time will depend on their size and what you plan on making with them.
• Test one chestnut to make sure it has reached your desired texture. Turn off the heat. Leave the chestnuts in the pot with the water to cool down. When cool enough to handle, work quickly with one chestnut at a time to remove the outer shell as it hardens quickly.With the tip of a knife, remove the outer shell and then peel off the inner skin. Repeat until there are no more nuts.

HOW TO BOIL CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Start by rinsing fresh chestnuts in cold water.
• Using a small sharp knife make a small cut on each chestnut. For boiled chestnuts It's enough just to dig in a tip of the knife.
• Transfer chestnuts to a large pan and fill it with cold drinking water. Add bay leaves and a drop of olive oil.
• Bring to boil and cook on low heat for 25-30 minutes. Cooking time depends on the size of chestnuts. The large the nuts more time it need to be cooked.
• To test, take out one chestnut at 25 minute mark and cut it open. If the pulp is soft and creamy chestnuts are done. If not let cook for another 10 minutes and taste again.
• Once ready, drain chestnuts and pass them quickly under running water.
• Wrap first, in a large piece of parchment paper (to absorb excess water), then wrap in a kitchen linen towel and let rest for a few minutes.

BOILED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• In a large pot add enough water to cover the chestnuts and bring to a boil. Add the chestnuts and cook for approximately 45 minutes. Drain the chestnuts and peel off the outer shells.

BOILED CHESTNUTS RECIPE

Steps:

• Place chestnuts in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain.
• Place the flat side of the chestnut down on a cutting board with the rounded side facing up. Hold the chestnut firmly and using a sharp knife (or a chestnut knife, if you have one) cut it horizontally across the rounded side to make a small incision (about ½ to 1 inch). Turn it 90 degrees and score once again, making an X. As you are cutting, make sure you are cutting through the inner skin without going too much into the yellow flesh. Continue with the rest of the chestnuts.
• Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Place the scored chestnuts into the boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the scored section opens up and the inside of the chestnut is exposed.
• To check doneness, carefully remove one chestnut and peel to check if the yellow nut inside is fully cooked. If it is not fully cooked, cook it for another 3-4 minutes, checking doneness during the boiling process once or twice.
• Do not discard the hot water.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer boiled chestnuts into a bowl and let them cool for 10 minutes. When still hot, but somewhat cool enough to handle, peel chestnuts one by one first starting with the outer shell and then removing the inner skin. If you have a hard time removing the fuzzy skin, put them back in the hot water for a few more minutes or use a paring knife to remove it as much as you can.
• Alternatively, if it is hard to peel, you can cut it in the middle and remove the flesh using a small spoon and collect the boiled chestnuts in a bowl. You will end up with broken pieces but it will still be delicious.

ROASTED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Cut a 1/2 inch crisscross on the flat side of each nut. Be sure to cut through the shell to prevent the nut from exploding.
• Place the nuts in a shallow baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Allow to cool and peel off the shell.
• Place nuts in a skillet with butter and saute over high heat until the butter is melted and the chestnuts are well coated. Place skillet in oven and roast until they are golden on top. Sprinkle with salt and cinnamon.