# Roasting Chestnuts?



## VeraBlue (Dec 2, 2007)

Lou and I took a trip into the city yesterday to see the tree at Rockefeller Center last night.  As we continued to walk along 5th ave., gazing at the christmas windows, I spied a chestnut vendor!  I haven't seen a chestnut vendor in the city in 20 years.  Could be I've been missing them, or could be they hang around where all the really big money is....  Either way, for 3 bucks, we got 8 perfectly roasted chestnuts.  ...I know, inflation....

The shells were pre cut, and peeling was a cinch.  In fact, the peeling process was the easiest I'd ever encountered in my life.  I was tempted to return to the cart to ask him how he prepared them.

Normally, I cut and roast my chestnuts in a 350 oven for half an hour.  The meat is nice and tender, but it does take a bit of an effort to get the shells off in one or two pieces.   I've heard that some people boil the nuts.  I tried this, but with not overmuch success.

How do you prepare your chestnuts, and what are your typical results.

And...the tree was beautiful.  It's actually a 'green' tree this year.  The lights are powered by LED panels on top of the surrounding buildings.  It was breathtaking.


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## jpmcgrew (Dec 2, 2007)

I remember you need to cut an x on a certain part before roasting them but they were still hard to peel.I read in the news the other day that the chestnut trees are dying in America I hope thats not true they are soo hard to get as it is.I remember in Germany as a kid they were everywhere.I wish I had a chestnut tree I remember them being so abundant that people would feed the deer with them in the winter


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## GB (Dec 2, 2007)

I cut an X in the bottom before roasting too. The shells always come off very easily, aside from a few stubborn ones.


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## kadesma (Dec 2, 2007)

I cut an x as well, roast at 350 about 30 minutes..Most of the shells come off easy..

kadesma


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## buckytom (Dec 3, 2007)

vb, i've seen many carts around the city that sell roasted chestnuts. usually they're also hawking hot pretzels. they're on smaller carts, with a charcoal grill. not the giant halal gyro/dirty water dog carts.

there's one or two just outside the port authority. also near rock center as you saw, down broadway and down 5th, and times square.

just follow your nose to the smell of the charcoal. 

we're going in to see the tree and then hit up chinatown/little italy this week. i can't wait!


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## redkitty (Dec 3, 2007)

We just got home from a weekend in Budapest and I'm already missing that lovely smell of roasted chestnuts!  Street vendors were all over the city center, something I haven't seen anywhere else!


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## lulu (Dec 3, 2007)

I think you can get roasted chestnuts in Bath RK, but I have NEVER seen them in Bristol.  Parts of London too....they are wonderful.  Much more common on the continent though...its a transgression of British ettiquette to eat on the street, though you'd barely know it now!  $3 for 8 chestnuts though????  I finally found something WAY cheaper here!  When you can find a vendor you'd get a little paper bag brimming with them.    In Milan they are in the centre of the city pretty constantly when the weather is grim....its a wonderful, wonderful small.

At home.....DGH does it.  He has a special chestnut roasting pan, he makes the crosses I think, and he peels them afterwards for me.


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## Loprraine (Dec 3, 2007)

I do the X thing also.  We usually roast them in the fireplace when the embers are dying down.


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## elaine l (Dec 3, 2007)

Do you need to add oil or anything to roast chestnuts?


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## GB (Dec 3, 2007)

I don't add anything at all Elaine.


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## VeraBlue (Dec 3, 2007)

elaine l said:


> Do you need to add oil or anything to roast chestnuts?



I don't add anything either...other than the X.

I do eat them with salt, however.  Ever try that??


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## kadesma (Dec 4, 2007)

Always salt mine Vera,
glad you started this thread, I love chestnuts and have some to make when I get back home today, from dialysis.
kadesma


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## VeraBlue (Dec 4, 2007)

I recently found a recipe for chestnut soup.  It's supposed to have a truffle floating on top, but a decent substitution would be a drop or two of truffle oil.  This being the season to spend with wild abandon...I got the oil, so I can continue to spend with wild abandon on everyone else.

I also make a mean chestnut ravioli that, when cooked, is topped with crushed ameretti cookies.  

Vive le chestnut!


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## elaine l (Dec 4, 2007)

I can't wait to try roasting chestnuts.  Salt...yes.   Sounds wonderful.  

As for the rest of the recipes, I saw a jar of chestnuts recently in a store.   What are those used for?  They sort of looked a little slimy.


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## VeraBlue (Dec 4, 2007)

Peeled chestnuts are helpful, especially when you need a few cupfuls.  Generally, they taste fine and can easily be substituted for fresh roasted.

Try warming them in a slow oven, and serving them over greens with sauteed apple slices and goat cheese........


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## Lynan (Dec 4, 2007)

When I first went to live in Italy, I was working at a Kiosk at the Umbrail/Stelvio Pass area, right by the Swiss border control. My sister arrived with a heap of chestnuts and I couldn't wait to try them having only ever eaten tinned ones and using the flour.
So, into the oven they went. We were outside when there was a tremendous sound coming from the kitchen..like gunshots.
The Swiss guards came running over, guns drawn!!! 
It was the chestnuts. I had not cut them.
The altitude probably didn't help either.

True story and I blush still. 

ETA: We wont talk about the state of the oven!


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## len_p (Dec 8, 2007)

*Pealing*

Kind of difficult to peal each of them while hot as they are not as good when cold. How do you peal them?


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## QSis (Dec 8, 2007)

Thanks to Vera, I HAD to try some roasted chestnuts from a pushcart in NYC this week, when I visited the city for the first time.  They were just as she said - warm, easy to peel, with a very slightly smoky flavor.  GREAT!  I did get 10 for my three bucks, though.

My pushcart guy had them cut deeply, into the flesh, horizontally across one side of each chestnut.  I wouldn't be surprised if they had been boiled first, because the meat was very moist.

I loved them, and I LOVED my New York City experience!

Lee


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## VeraBlue (Dec 9, 2007)

I did a bit of web searching the other day regarding chestnuts.  Ever since the pushcart experience, I'd been jonesing for another batch.  

This time, I roasted them at 425 instead of my usual 350.  After the half hour, (and I believe 25 minutes would have been enough), I wrapped them in a clean towel, squeezed them, and then let them sit in the towel for 5 minutes.  The after baking squeezing and subsequent steaming was the perfect touch.  The skins came right off, no problems.   Delicious.  Between the two of us, I think we ate 25....


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