Chestnut Potato Puree Recipes

CHESTNUT AND POTATO PURéE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Prick each potato in a few places with a fork, then divide potatoes into 3 groups and wrap each group in foil. Bake in oven until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
• While potatoes bake, melt butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, then cook chestnuts, stirring, 5 minutes. Add half-and-half, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and gently simmer, covered, until chestnuts are very tender and cream is infused with bay leaf, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf, then transfer chestnuts with a slotted spoon to a blender. Add enough cooking liquid to purée chestnuts easily, then purée until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return purée to pot with remaining liquid and stir together. Keep warm over very low heat.
• Holding them with a kitchen towel to protect your hands, carefully unwrap and peel potatoes, a few at a time, and push through ricer into chestnut mixture. Stir to combine (mixture will continue to thicken) and season to taste.

CHESTNUT PUREE

Steps:

• Place the chestnuts in a saucepan with the chicken stock and celery. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the chestnuts are soft. Drain well.
• Put the chesnuts through a food mill or ricer and, while they are still hot, beat in the butter, hot milk and cream using a small whisk or spoon. Salt to taste. Serve hot.

POTATO, CHESTNUT, AND CELERY ROOT PURéE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan cook the onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the celery root, the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, the chestnuts, the broth, and enough of the water to just cover the mixture, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. Drain the mixture, reserving the cooking liquid, force it through a food mill fitted with the medium disk or a ricer into a bowl, and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper to taste, and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to achieve the desired consistency. The purée may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated. Transfer the purée to a serving dish and garnish it with the celery leaves.

POTATO PURéE

Steps:

• Add cubed potatoes to a medium saucepan with a big pinch of salt and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until very soft and almost falling apart, about 20 minutes. When potatoes are cooked, drain well. Then place them back into the hot pot (with the heat turned off) to evaporate any residual moisture, 30 seconds.
• Run potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer into a mixing bowl. Add butter and stir well to combine; then pour in the warm milk and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add salt to taste and place back into the saucepan. Over very low heat, whisk again to release extra moisture in the potatoes.
• When potatoes are smooth and creamy, but still hold their shape when folded over, transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

CHESTNUT PUREE

Steps:

• Combine chestnuts, milk, and salt in a saucepan. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan, and toss in pod. Bring to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until chestnuts are very soft and all but about 1/2 cup of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving chestnuts and cooking liquid separately and discarding vanilla pod. Process chestnuts in a food processor until very smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid (and additional milk if needed), 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is the consistency of a thick spread. Pour through a large-mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.