Chestnuts Roasted On An Open Fire Recipes

ROASTED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Slit chestnuts: Place one chestnut on a cutting board with the flat side down (rounded side up). Grasp the chestnuts firmly between your thumb and pointer finger and use a serrated knife to make a long slit across the rounded side of the nut. Be sure you cut all the way through the shell. Then make a second cut, forming an x" on the rounded side of chestnut. Making a slit in the chestnut is essential to ensure they don't explode in the oven and will make them easier to peel.
• Soak: Place chestnuts in a bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak overnight or for 10-12 hours. (Or, see my notes for a quicker soak option).
• Roast: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Remove the chestnuts from the water and pat them dry. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet with the flat side down and slit side facing up. Roast chestnuts for 30-35 minutes or until you see that the skins have pulled back and the nut inside has softened.
• Steam: As soon as you remove them from the oven, place the hot chestnuts on a damp kitchen towel, lifting the ends of the towel to form a bag. Twist the bag closed and squeeze the chestnuts inside firmly (you should hear them crackle). Let them sit in the towel for 10-15 minutes. This allows any extra steam to escape and will aid in the peeling process.
• Peel: Once the chestnuts have had a chance to steam, you can start removing the skins. It's easiest to remove the skins when the nuts are hot so remove the shell immediately by gently pulling back on the "x" and peeling away hairy, papery skin around the chestnut to reveal the yellow nut inside. Discard any nuts that seems gooey or look like they are spoiled inside.
• Enjoy: Eat them plain, serve them with soup or pasta, or store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

CAST IRON PAN-ROASTED CHESTNUTS ON A STOVETOP

Steps:

• Score your chestnuts. See pictures and instructions further up in article.
• Turn temperature on stove burner to medium heat (5 on our stove). Place all ingredients in pan with lid on.
• Cook covered for 10 minutes, shaking pan every minute, so nuts cook evenly and don't cook to much on one spot. The water also helps ensure even heating by steaming/boiling them and preventing them from drying out too much.
• At the end of the initial 10 minutes cooking with the lid on, the water will boil out/evaporate, and the inside of your pan will start getting a bit smoky. The nut shells will start to get a bit charred which creates the slight smoke, replicating the smoky flavor of an open fire! Shake the pan constantly at this point to keep things from getting too smoky or setting off your indoor fire alarms.
• Uncover pan. Stir nuts and/or shake pan constantly while uncovered on heating element for 2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat, and place lid back on pan. Let nuts cool for 5 minutes with lid on. The nuts will continue to slowly cook as they cool down as long as the lid stays on. The lid also helps trap some of the moisture.
• After 5 minutes, remove lid and let the chestnuts cool down to eating temperature. You can even serve them in the cast iron skillet you cooked them in for a unique presentation.
• Another alternative is to let the nuts cool down, then remove them from their shells before serving. However, in our opinion that's not quite as authentic to the original roasted chestnuts of yore, which were served shells-on. Plus, serving the chestnuts shells-on makes for a more involved dining experience by forcing those eating them to slow down and talk, rather than wolfing them down.

CHESTNUTS ROASTED ON AN OPEN FIRE

Steps:

• Take a cheap old frying pan, and using a hammer and large nail, or drill bit, make about 10 holes in the bottom.
• Put an X in the skin of each chestnut. Heat pan over flame. Add chestnuts and using a spray bottle, spray with water.
• Return to flame, shake pan slowly and constantly for about 15 min., occasionally spritzing with more water. (will require more yuletide songs).
• Place chestnuts into large metal bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss. Place chestnuts into 8 small brown bags, sprinkle a dash more salt into bag, and serve. (or sell em on the street corner for a nickel like they did in the ol' days)!

ROASTED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Cut an X in the top of each chestnut but be very careful not to cut into the flesh.
• Place the chestnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool the nuts until you can handle them and then peel them.
• Just before serving heat the oil in a fry pan large enough to hold the nuts in a single layer.
• Stir fry until light golden brown, remove from pan and with a paper towel remove any excess oil.
• Add the apple cider/ liquer, use high heat and reduce to apprx half.
• Return Chestnuts to pan, stir to glaze, add salt& pepper.
• Serve hot.