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To prepare chestnuts, slit the rounded end with a sharp knife and boil for 10 minutes. Peel the shell and then remove the bitter inner skin.
As a sweet they are usually pureed (simmer in water or milk for 15 minutes, until soft, drain, put in a blender and then pass through a sieve and mix with half the weight of sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract), candied (boiled in a sugar syrup for several days) or as a preserve or jam (put the sweetened puree in a large saucepan and cook for twenty minutes, stirring continuously until thick).
The puree can then be used for Mont Blanc (mixed with your favourite liqueur, piled high and topped with whipped cream), Vacherin au marron (mixed with whipped cream on meringue), ice cream (use a standard vanilla ice cream recipe and substitute half the cream for sour cream) or Nesselrode Cream (mixed with lemon peel and eggs and baked like a custard) or the base to most savoury dishes, simple fry the peeled chestnuts with chopped onion, until brown, then cover with a good beef stock (you can use chicken or vegetable stock) and simmer until soft- usually 15 minutes. While cooking the chestnuts you could add bacon, sausages or brussel sprouts for a meal in itself or you could make a soup (add an extra litre or two of stock and a couple of peeled, chopped apples, puree when cooked), stuffing (mix with fresh breadcrumbs and herbs) or a sandwich spread (puree and mix with crème fraiche, mustard and finely chopped tarragon).
Chocolate Chestnut Terrine
- 250g chestnut puree
- 150g unsalted butter
- 125g castor sugar
- 150g melted chocolate
- 2 egg yolks
- 50ml cointreau
- 150ml whipped cream
- a few drops vanilla extract
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale, then beat in chestnut puree and vanilla until smooth. Divide the mixture in half.
In to half the mixture beat in the chocolate, cointreau and egg yolks. Then gently fold into the whipped cream. Then put both halves of mixture together and briefly stir, so that the mixture has a marbled effect.
Put into a terrine mould (or cake tin) lined with cling film. Chill overnight. Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream and hot chocolate sauce.
