Chestnuts (Continued - 1)

Cooking  With  Chestnuts

The preliminary cooking with chestnuts was done yesterday, they are in a bowl, covered and refrigerated to keep fresh.  They are ready for further food.

Boiled and skinned chestnuts for further cooking.

Cooking chestnuts can be varied, boil them for longer to make puree for a base of cakes, mix the nuts with other ingredients for stuffing poultry, cook them for soups etc.
Confit fresh chestnut and vegetables to garnish chicken, sounds good,  doesn't it?  I always want to cook the dish.  The recipe is from one of my cooking books, the Cuisine Actually by Joël Robuchon.  He is very meticulous and always gives attention to details to achieve perfection.
I want to attempt to cook the dish, but I will simplify, in terms of the techniques and ingredients which he may be using so the cooking won't' be so daunting.  But the layers of flavour upon a flavour that he created hopefully can be achieved.

Confit chestnuts and vegetables, these are what you need: chestnuts, walnuts, fennel, and pearls onion.

To peel fresh chestnuts surprisingly was not too hard, it was my first time.  To peel thirteen chestnuts took me twelve minutes.  I did a second batch, and I did a little faster.  The third batch took me only four minutes to peel six.  It does take time, it is a question of whether you have the spare time?  Most people have a lot of other commitments, prep for cooking is not their priority.  Anyway, you still can cook this recipe, get freshly peeled chestnuts from the market or the shop.

Peeling Fresh Chestnuts

Use a very sharp small knife, peel the hard outer skin, it is not easy, but you will find your way to do it

About 222 g skinned fresh chestnuts, I kept in the plastic bag

then refrigerated for my future cooking

It is a good idea to have more chestnuts to the skin while they are in season, and freeze them, especially if you love to cook with them.


Confit of Fresh Chestnuts, Walnuts, Fennel and Onions.

The ingredients:
218 peeled fresh chestnuts
Vegetable oil for deep frying
16 new baby onions or pearl onions-peeled
1 level tablespoon sugar
65 g unsalted butter
sea salt to taste
freshly ground white pepper to taste
a cup chicken stock
Bouquet garni: parsley, thyme, celery leaves.
1 fennel bulb, cut into fine julienne, fronds reserve4
4 shallots, each bulb cut lengthwise into eighths
75 g shelled walnut, halves


I will be going to the market to get the ingredients.  It is the time of the year in Victoria, Australia when the fennel is still in season.  Just see.
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Guide of Seasonal Vegetables In Australia

June

Asian greens, avocados, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, ginger, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, olives, onion, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, shallot,silverbeet, spinach sweet potato, turnip, witlof.

Thanks For Stopping By

Stay Tuned

Susy