Chestnut Pancakes

Ingredients:

200 g chestnut puree

¼ cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2-4 tbsp sugar, to taste

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

2 eggs

oil

fruit, to serve with it

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients but the oil together.

2. Warm the oil in a frying pan and fry the pancakes, a few at a time.

3. Serve with blueberries or other fruit.

Chestnut Pie

When we had a friend visit us from another city for a day, we went to one of the vegetarian restaurants in town. That day’s special was chestnut pie and it was very hearty and filling, which was great considering how cold it was. We each ordered that and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I decided to make something similar at home. This was my first attempt, but I plan to try other chestnut pies, sweet and savoury, in the future.

Ingredients:

200 g chestnuts (vacuum-sealed or tinned)

1-2 onions

oil

1 vegetable stock cube

other herbs/spices, as desired (I used some rosemary, cinnamon, and a hint of mint)

about 300 g vegetables of your choice (I used mushrooms and a courgette)

water (about 1 cup)

1 package puff pastry (500 g)

Instructions:

1. Grind the chestnuts or else dice them into small pieces.

2. Chop the onion/s and fry the pieces lightly in oil a saucepan. Add the stock cube and the other herbs/spices.

3. Chop the vegetables and add them to the pan. Fry for a few moments and then add the water and boil for 5-10 minutes over low heat.

4. Add the chestnuts.

5. Roll out the puff pastry and separate it into two pieces (one will be the lid, so it should be smaller).

6. Oil an oven-safe dish and line with puff pastry. Fill with the chestnut mixture and put the lid on top.

7. Bake at 200 C for 20-35 minutes.

Chestnut Stir-Fry

I posted about roasted chestnuts last time and I just want to add that I’ve started including them in stir-fries. It’s delicious and adds a subtle, full flavour to the stir-fry. A great combination was red pepper, shallot, chestnuts, and mange tout. I seasoned it with tamari sauce and sour plum juice (but lemon juice would be fine). We liked it so much that we had it again just a few days later. And yes, you can use ready-prepared chestnuts if you prefer.

Roasted Chestnuts

This couldn’t be easier and it’s a lovely, healthy treat. You can also de-shell the chestnuts partway through the roasting, then season them with salt, pepper, paprika, truffle oil, and/or any other spices/flavourings, then continue roasting them.

Oh, all right, it’s also quite easy to just buy chestnuts in a vacuum-sealed pack, but come on, when they’re fresh they’re great!

Ingredients:

chestnuts

Instructions:

1. Score an “x” on the flat side of each chestnut. Put the chestnuts on a baking tray and roast for 15-25 minutes at 200 C.

2. Peel the shell off and eat, or crumble the chestnuts and use as stuffing or flavouring.