chestnut cooking and recipes


Chestnuts: Cooking and Recipes


Cold autumn or winter nights and roasted chestnuts seem to go together.

Chestnuts do however have a distinctive flavour and texture and can be used to give a unique taste to a wide range of dishes from starters to sweets.

Chestnut soup is a winter classic and other equally delicious options are
stir fries, casseroles, stuffing for meat and poultry, pastas, cakes and desserts.

before cookingBefore cooking how to cookMethods of cooking recipeRecipe more recipesMore recipes

Although chestnuts can be eaten raw after peeling, they are usually cooked in some way.
Dried and ground, chestnuts make an excellent quality flour for bread, biscuits or gravies.  They may also be frozen after cooking, and later thawed and used in various recipes.  Chestnuts are very diverse in their culinary uses and many classic recipes are popular worldwide.

Traditionally, chestnuts are roasted over an open fire or in the oven, but they may also be cooked in the microwave, sandwich maker, hot plate, BBQ or frying pan, or under the grill.

Before cooking  

Before cooking, the most important step is to cut the shell to prevent the nut from exploding while cooking!  Some people cut a slit across the face of the nut, others cut a cross into the pale end (hilum).  We have found  the best way to prepare chestnuts is to lie the chestnut on its flatter side and cut or score halfway around the outer shell.  The cut should go full thickness through the shell, and perhaps the pellicle, but not into the flesh of the nut.

preparing chestnut
chestnut chestnut

Peeling chestnuts

It is easier to peel chestnuts while they are still warm and damp.  Wrap the cooked chestnuts in a tea towel to keep them warm while you are peeling the others.  Remove the outer shell and also the inner brown skin or pellicle, as this can sometimes taste quite bitter.  Boiled chestnuts are probably the easiest ones from which to peel the pellicle, though if you dry roast or grill them, it is not so important to remove all the pellicle prior to eating.  Different varieties vary in their ease of peeling.

Cooking - the four basic cooking methods

To bake
Preheat oven to 200 C.  Place chestnuts onto baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes, turning after about 5 minutes, or until the shells split and the flesh is easily pierced with a pointed knife.

To pan roast or grill or barbeque
Cook (turning occasionally) in a pan over a medium heat, or under the grill, or on the BBQ for 10-12 minutes or until the shells split as above.  It doesn't matter if the outer shell turns black in parts as this will be removed prior to eating.

To microwave
Place chestnuts in a single layer to cover a microwave-safe plate.  Cook uncovered on 850watts / high / 100% for 2-3 minutes.  It is very easy to overcook when microwaving, so beware, and start with less time to be on the safe side.

To boil
Place chestnuts into a pan of cold water, bring to the the boil, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until flesh is tender.


Chestnut recipe

Chestnut and Crispy Noodle Salad
For 2 servings:

1-2 cups peeled, steamed or boiled chestnuts (steam 15-20 mins)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
2-3 cups crisp lettuce strips
salad vegetables (spring onion, coriander leaves, celery, cucumber, red pepper, sprouts)
about 1 cup crisp-fried noodles
about ¼ cup prepared dressing
2-3 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

· Coat steamed chestnuts with sesame oil and soy sauce and quickly stir fry
· Cut the crisp lettuce into strips
· Place in bowl with two or three other salad vegetables cut into thin strips
· Toss warm chestnuts with about 1 tbsp of dressing
· Toss salad mix with about 2 tbsp of dressing
· Layer the greens, crisp-fried noodles and chestnuts in a pyramid on a plate
· Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds (if you wish)

 For many other exciting recipes see:

The Australian Chestnut Growers Association web site 
and/or
The New Zealand Chestnut Growers Organization web site

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