What can be done with chestnuts. Can I eat raw chestnuts or not? How to Roast Edible Chestnuts in the Microwave: Recipes

Roasted chestnuts are considered to be universal dish. It is served in many European countries as an independent snack or added to salads, soups, side dishes. Many still do not know how to roast chestnuts at home, let's try to figure it out together. Let's bring practical advice and consider different ways cooking.

Positive features of chestnuts

  1. Not many people know that chestnuts are legumes. However, in nature there are several types of fruits suitable for human consumption. Other species threaten with serious complications, so the choice of raw materials should be taken carefully.
  2. Standard (useful) product includes the following ingredients: carbohydrates (simple and complex), starch, protein, beta-carotene, fiber, vitamins A, B, C, tannins. Fat and protein included in chestnuts are especially valued by athletes whose main goal is to gain muscle mass and improving performance.
  3. If we talk about the energy value of the product, it varies between 165-175 Kcal / 100 gr. Besides roasted chestnuts contain potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and manganese. Due to this, the product is often used by people with diseases. of cardio-vascular system, diabetes, renal insufficiency. Roasted chestnuts are also diet meals, which is why they are so loved by ladies on a diet.
  4. The undeniable benefit of beans is that they have a beneficial effect on Airways, help relieve swelling of the limbs and the body as a whole, facilitate the flow of varicose veins and reduce pain. The product is valuable for those who suffer from disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, have withered skin and wrinkles.

How to Roast Chestnuts in the Microwave

The recipe for making chestnuts in this way saves time, so it makes sense to consider the technology in more detail.

  1. Sort through the chestnuts, exclude all spoiled and cracked ones. Wash whole specimens, then soak them in water for 15 minutes. After this period, dry the beans with towels, leave until the moisture has completely evaporated.
  2. Make 3-4 holes in the surface of the chestnuts with a knife or awl, prepare a deep plate for the microwave. Place the beans in a container in one row, cover with wet wipes or a cloth soaked in water.
  3. Set the microwave to maximum power and time of about 3-5 minutes. Pause the oven every 1.5 minutes and stir the chestnuts.
  4. After the expiration of the period, pour a little vegetable oil into the microwave container, set the time for another 10-15 minutes. As in the previous case, take out the chestnuts every 1.5-2 minutes and mix.

The classic recipe for cooking is roasting chestnuts in a pan, nothing else. Later experienced chefs found an analogy for baking a product in an oven or microwave, we will also consider these methods below.

  1. Before you start cooking, get chestnuts that are good for eating. Edible fruits have one flat surface, they are much smaller in size than wild (horse) chestnuts.
  2. After selecting the right raw materials, proceed to processing. Sort through the fruits, discard all dented, cracked and spoiled specimens, leave only whole chestnuts. Wash them thoroughly with a kitchen sponge.
  3. Pour water into a wide basin room temperature, put the beans in it. If the chestnuts float, they are not good for cooking. Give preference only to those products that sink.
  4. After selection, place the beans in a container with cool water, leave for a quarter of an hour. Dry food with cotton towels, pierce several holes over the entire surface with a knife, fork or awl. Such a move will prevent the shell from breaking and, as a result, damage to the product.
  5. Pick up a deep frying pan with thick walls and a bottom. Pour into bowl a large number of oil so that it covers the beans almost completely. Place a few thick, damp paper towels on the chestnuts to prevent drying out.
  6. Cover the skillet with a lid to keep the beans from "popping" if they start to explode. Turn on the burner to medium, roast the chestnuts for about 25-30 minutes, no longer.
  7. Shake the dish occasionally without opening the lid, or stir the composition with a slotted spoon / wooden spatula. At the end of cooking, spread a few paper towels on a plate, lay out the chestnuts, cool to an acceptable temperature.
  8. De-shell the chestnuts by pressing lightly on them. You will see how the beans begin to crack, it remains only to remove the skin. Serve finished product in the form of a snack or add it to salads, first and second courses.

How to roast chestnuts in the oven

Recently, cooking chestnuts in the oven has gained particular popularity. This process involves roasting fruits, while maintaining their beneficial properties.

  1. Turn on the oven, heat it up to 200-210 degrees. Adjust the flute of the appliance so that the temperature is maintained at the same level.
  2. While the oven is heating, prepare the chestnuts. Go through them, remove cracked and spoiled ones, wash them thoroughly under the tap. Place in a container, soak in water for about 10 minutes, then dry with a towel.
  3. After that, make a cross-shaped incision in the flat part of the fruit (can be replaced with 2-3 punctures with a fork). Such a move will not allow the beans to crack, and will also release the steam that forms under the shell.
  4. Wash the baking sheet, grease it with vegetable or corn oil, put the chestnuts in one row, sticking to the middle. Place the raw material with the flat part up (where the cut is). Sprinkle the fruits with clean water.
  5. Roasting/baking time is about 15-20 minutes. During this period, the beans should become soft. During cooking, move the chestnuts from one place to another every 2 minutes so that they do not burn. When the casing becomes pliable (it will crack easily), turn off the oven.
  6. Cool the chestnuts for 3 minutes, then peel them. To properly remove the shell, wrap the fruit in a cotton towel, press it down, then leave to cool for 5 minutes, remove the peel. Repeat the previous manipulations with each instance.
  7. Do not forget to take out the inner shell along with the peel. Peel chestnuts in the first 10 minutes after cooking, while the product is still warm. After the allotted time, the shell hardens, which greatly complicates the task.
  8. If one or more fruits are difficult to peel, send them to the oven for another 5 minutes, then repeat the procedure again. Do not try to split the fruit with a knife, the peel should easily come off.

If you want to have a picnic or surprise friends original dish, use the technology of cooking chestnuts on coals.

  1. Carefully sort through the fruits, excluding superfluous ones (spoiled, cracked, with mold and dents). After that, wash the whole specimens under cold water, soak them for 10 minutes, dry with towels or napkins.
  2. Prepare a thick-walled pan with a dense bottom (cast iron is suitable) or a kettle. Make a cross hole in the flat part of each chestnut.
  3. Fire up the fireplace or brazier so that you get a high layer of embers. Put on them cast iron pan, lay the chestnuts cut down, cover, fry for about 5-7 minutes. Shake the pan every 2 minutes during cooking to ensure that the chestnuts cook evenly on all sides.
  4. After the specified period (5-7 minutes), remove the container from the coals, turn the chestnuts over to the opposite side, fry for another 5 minutes until cooked. After cooking, cool the fruit for 3 minutes, wrap in a towel and split, removing the shell and inner shell.

Soups, salads, roasts and even bread are prepared on the basis of chestnuts. The benefits of beans are legendary, while the product has a relatively cheap pricing and availability. Use the methods of cooking fruits in a pan, in the oven or microwave, on coals.

Video: how chestnuts are roasted in Turkey

The mention of chestnuts evokes a wide variety of associations in the majority, and not always gastronomic ones. In our country, edible chestnut nuts can be found only in the south, and in other places horse chestnut grows, unsuitable for food. Moreover, the fruits of the horse chestnut are poisonous, so you can only admire them. Edible chestnuts are sold in supermarkets - they are brought from Krasnodar, the Caucasus, Abkhazia and other places. If you haven't tried this yet gourmet delicacy, learning how to cook it is quite easy if you know the secrets and subtleties. Chestnuts are delicious, nutritious and healthy!

How chestnuts became part of gastronomic culture

Chestnut trees have been grown since Ancient Greece and Rome, but their fruits were considered more like a medicine than a delicacy. Chestnuts were fed to livestock. And only in the 15th century people tasted exotic nuts and realized that they deserve to be on the dinner table. However, for a long time, chestnuts were the food of the poor, and only a little later they learned to cook gourmet dishes from them.

In Japan and China, the first mention of chestnuts appeared even earlier, long before the advent of rice, and they were cooked in a simple way- roasted at the stake. Until now, almost half of the chestnuts in the world are eaten by the Chinese.

What are chestnuts

The most popular varieties of edible chestnuts are sowing, American, Chinese and Japanese. They have a green spiky plush and look like tiny hedgehogs, while the inedible horse chestnut has rarer needles. Brown nuts are hidden under the plush, and if they look like an onion with a small tail at a sharp end, then chestnuts are definitely edible - you are not mistaken. The horse chestnut tastes unpleasantly bitter, while the edible fruits are mealy and sweetish.

Raw chestnuts taste like unripe nuts, while cooked chestnuts taste like baked potatoes with a nutty twist. It is believed that the most delicious chestnut- Japanese. By satiety, nuts are close to potatoes, rice, bread and other carbohydrate foods. It is no coincidence that earlier this tree was called breadfruit. Due to the neutral taste, chestnut dishes can be cooked with a variety of products - they simply absorb the taste and aroma of the ingredients present, such as funchose, potatoes and rice.

How chestnuts are prepared

In Europe there is good tradition- arrange picnics in the fall and bake chestnuts on the fire. This delicacy is also sold on the streets of cities, where the fruits are cooked in open braziers. They are cleaned and eaten hot, washed down with grape juice, beer or cider. The main thing is to pierce the shells of the nuts before roasting, otherwise the chestnuts will explode during cooking. Chestnuts are also boiled and steamed, added to soups, sauces, salads, casseroles and side dishes, stuffed with chicken and Christmas turkey. If you want to keep chestnuts until Christmas, you can boil, peel, and freeze them.

But the use of chestnut fruits in cooking is not limited to this. The nuts are used to make an amazing chestnut flour, which is used for cooking savory pies and dessert pastries. You don’t even need to add sugar to sweets, because the flour already has a sweetish aftertaste. Chestnut and jam, pancakes, biscuits, muffins and cookies are very pleasant. In France, chestnuts are used to prepare a delicious delicacy, maron glace, for which peeled chestnuts are boiled in sugar syrup and dry until crispy. No less tasty chestnuts under chocolate sauce and chestnut puree from boiled nuts with sugar. They say they are real delicacies!

Both tasty and healthy

Chestnuts have healing properties. They are rich in vitamins C, A, B, potassium, iron and calcium. Nuts reduce fever, treat coughs and clear the bronchi, relieve pain, have anti-inflammatory properties and stop diarrhea. Chestnuts are good for digestion and kidneys, while they produce a slight diuretic effect. Chestnuts are especially useful for hypertensive patients, as they normalize blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels.

If you have varicose veins, you can alleviate your condition with a chestnut diet. Arthritis, sciatica, gout - even such serious diseases can be treated if you eat these more often. useful gifts nature.

Since chestnuts have a low concentration of fat (1 g per fruit), they can be eaten by anyone who is on a diet. This is what distinguishes this variety of nuts from its "brothers". If we also take into account that chestnut improves blood circulation, removes excess fluid from cells and removes swelling, this product becomes invaluable in the fight against cellulite. Tinctures for burning fat are made from chestnuts, and anti-cellulite creams are prepared on the basis of its oil.

It is better for children to give chestnuts from the age of four or five, because their tender digestive system may not be able to digest this nut.

How to roast chestnuts

And now it's time to learn how to cook chestnuts at home. Sort through them and throw away dented, spoiled fruits and nuts with cracked shells. Pour the chestnuts into the water and take only the drowned fruits for subsequent cooking - the floating ones are not good for food, as they are most likely spoiled. Soak the remaining chestnuts in water for 15 minutes, dry with a towel and make cross-shaped cuts from the sharp edge so that the shell does not burst during frying and the chestnuts can then be easily peeled.

Fill large frying pan vegetable oil, dip the chestnuts there and fry for half an hour over medium heat under a closed lid. Shake the pan occasionally without opening the lid. Peel chestnuts from the shell immediately, otherwise it will be problematic later. Serve the dish with sugar or salt - it's incredibly delicious!

Chestnuts baked in the oven

This cooking method is even easier, and you can see it on own kitchen. First, sort and wash the chestnuts, removing those unsuitable for eating, and then make cuts.

Preheat the oven to 200°C on convection mode. Place the nuts in a cast iron or ovenproof dish cut side down and cook for 15 minutes, then stir in the chestnuts and bake for another 15 minutes. It all depends on which nuts you like - softer or roasted.

Cool the chestnuts, sprinkle them with salt and serve with beer or wine. You can cut the shelled nuts into pieces, add any vegetables, pasta or rice to them, and then season them with olive oil and lemon juice.

"Quick" chestnuts in the microwave

Prepare the chestnuts for roasting as described above, and be sure to make cuts. Put the nuts in a bowl microwave oven, salt and add a little water - 4-5 tbsp. l. for 10 fruits. Mix well.

Turn on the most powerful mode and cook for exactly 8 minutes. If the chestnuts are too large and the microwave is not too powerful, the cooking time can be increased. Some gourmets claim that nuts in the microwave are not so tasty, but this is not for everyone. Try it and decide for yourself!

candied chestnuts

It's very simple and extraordinary delicious dessert which will surely take root in your family. Peel 0.5 kg of chestnuts and boil them in water until softened so that they do not lose their shape.

Boil the syrup from 2 cups of water and 0.5 kg of sugar - after boiling, it should cook for about 10 minutes. Dip the chestnuts into the syrup and cook for another half an hour. Let the dish brew a little and keep it on fire for another half hour. The chestnuts should become almost translucent. After that, add 50 ml of rum and transfer the dessert to a beautiful dish. Decorate the delicacy to your taste and serve to the amazed household and guests.

Chestnut flour pancakes with ricotta

Everyone loves pancakes, and chestnut pancakes are exotic for most. But what prevents you from appreciating their delicate nutty taste?

Prepare a dough of 2 eggs, 230 ml of milk and 100 g of chestnut flour, which can be added a little more if the eggs are large. The dough should be homogeneous, without lumps. Leave it on for 15 minutes.

Prepare the filling of ricotta and honey - the amount of ingredients to your taste. Someone likes it sweeter, and someone can add a little salt and herbs instead of honey.

Fry the pancakes olive oil, put on each 2 tbsp. l. ricotta, fold in half and place on a serving platter. Top them with yogurt, honey, or whatever sauce you like. has a pleasant color and delicate texture, and even more so will not disappoint you when tasting.

Chestnut soup "Lick your fingers"

This one is a bit like potato, but it looks unusual and appetizing.

Weld meat broth and allocate about 1 liter or a little more to the soup, taking into account the fact that some liquid will boil away during cooking. Dice carrots and onions and fry them in vegetable oil until golden brown. Throw 300 g of shelled chestnuts from the supermarket and vegetables into the broth, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the chestnuts are soft, about 15 minutes.

Beat the soup with a blender, but leave a few chestnuts floating in it. So the dish will look much more interesting.

Season the chestnut puree soup with 2 tbsp. l. cream and serve with fresh herbs.

Draniki with chestnuts

You have probably never tried unusual dish. Well, you have such a unique opportunity!

Make cuts on 7 chestnuts and boil them in water for 10 minutes.

Grate 3 raw peeled potatoes. Peel the chestnuts from the shell and also chop them on a grater, and then mix with the potatoes. add 1 a raw egg, minced garlic clove, salt, 2 tbsp. l. flour and a little finely chopped dill.

Mix the dough well and fry potato pancakes in vegetable oil on both sides. Serve with sour cream. The taste of such potato pancakes is very delicate, slightly nutty and original.

Chestnuts protect against depression and stress, soothe and give sound sleep. Treat yourself occasionally to these delicious nuts, without which something is missing in autumn. Chestnuts lift our spirits, and when we wash down these crunchy nuts with fragrant cider, it seems to us that life is inexpressibly beautiful, especially among the people closest to us.

Don't need to be confused different kinds Chestnut is a horse chestnut grown in Russian parks and a real chestnut, also called edible or noble.

In Russia, with the exception of the Black Sea coast, they do not grow edible chestnuts. Such chestnuts grow in Europe, Asia and North America. Of course, everyone can buy these unusual fruits in our country, but here their price often causes outrage.

Healing properties of chestnuts

Many varieties are known. "Sweet chestnuts" are popular. These fruits, like nuts, are high in calories. But, compared to hazelnuts, walnut, peanuts and almonds, chestnuts contain very little fat. These fruits are great for a vegetarian diet. They contain 3% of useful minerals, about 2.5-3.5% of fiber, as well as vitamins A, B and C.

B can be up to 62% starch, up to 17% sugar and up to 6% protein. Especially a lot of vitamins are found in unripe fruits. Here, scientists have found up to 1500 mg% of vitamin C and up to 0.18 mg% of vitamin B.

AT traditional medicine often used medicinal properties both edible and horse chestnut. Many diseases can be cured by taking a specially prepared decoction from different parts of the chestnut. Not only fruits are considered healing, but also flowers, bark and leaves of the tree.

Edible chestnuts: how to cook useful fruits at home

The most popular way to prepare these fruits is roasting over charcoal. This is the most simple and effective method, suitable for everyone who, while relaxing in the country, decided to offer his numerous guests chestnuts.

How to cook excellent fruits at home? First, chestnuts can be baked in the oven. Once you've removed any remaining dirt, simply cut off the tip of each fruit and place the chestnuts in the oven for about 15 minutes. Cutting off the ends of hard fruits is not easy, but if you don't, your chestnuts may explode.

Secondly, you can just fry chestnut nuts in a pan. As in the previous method, make a small incision, put the fruits in a hot pan and cook under a closed lid for about 20 minutes. Some chestnut lovers remove the pan from the stove after the first shot of these fruits. It is believed that the most delicious roasted chestnuts are those that are ready to explode.

Thirdly, you can boil chestnuts. How to cook boiled chestnuts? First you need to peel the fruit. To do this, chestnuts are thrown into boiling water for several minutes, and then the entire peel, all membranes and films are removed. The peeled fruits are immersed in cold water and cook until soft. Usually cooking chestnuts ends 20 minutes after the water has boiled. Then it is recommended to drain the water and hold the cooked fruits in an empty pan under the lid for 5 minutes.

Chestnuts are often added to other dishes. Sauces are made from these fruits in many countries. The simplest chestnut sauce is served with meat. Boiled chestnuts are mashed with a fork, turning into a puree. Add butter, nutmeg, cream and salt. This sauce is perfect for duck, chicken and rabbit.

You can make a gourmet dessert sauce using boiled chestnuts. How to cook such an unusual seasoning for the main dish? Just boil the peeled fruits in sweetened milk, puree the chestnuts and serve.

Chestnuts provide every hostess with a huge scope for culinary creativity. In some countries, chestnut dessert is popular. Boiled fruits are mixed with sherry and brandy, whipped cream and bizet are added, and chocolate is poured on top.

You can use chestnuts as a seasoning for your favorite dish. Let this small exquisite detail be the highlight of your entire kitchen, because chestnuts are rarely prepared in Russia.

But there is one serious obstacle: chestnuts dry quickly, they cannot be stored. These fruits are sold on the market only in autumn, so there is only one small "chestnut" season in which you can enjoy the peculiarity of this unusual product.

In most European countries, roasted chestnuts are a street treat. Trees with these miraculous fruits grow simply on the streets of cities, and therefore any tourist can try the dish for quite affordable price. With us, you can taste the taste of this delicate nut only in a restaurant, or try to cook it yourself at home. But how to roast chestnuts?

The taste of roasted chestnuts is quite unusual and not everyone will like it, like any other product. But it is worth a try, especially since it is not only tasty, but also very useful. The main nuance is to learn how to cook them correctly.

So, we master the art of cooking roasted chestnuts.

Chestnut contains a large amount of vegetable protein, and eating this product is very beneficial. It is especially indispensable for adherents of a vegetarian diet, since it is able to fully provide the body with protein, which they exclude by refusing meat.

But, despite all the benefits of chestnut-nut, there are a number of contraindications to its use. Therefore, before eating it, you need to pay attention to your own health and evaluate all the pros and cons.

Positive qualities of chestnuts

So to useful properties nuts include the following features.

  1. High the energy value. Two, three chestnuts can be full, and not remember the feeling of hunger for half a day. A good product for those who like to eat at night or before bedtime. You can eat a chestnut before going to bed and sleep peacefully until the morning, full and not afraid for the figure. For people whose constant companions are fatigue and weakness, chestnuts are the best helper.
  2. A great option to diversify the menu. This versatile nut can be roasted, boiled, baked and used in salads. If traditional cereals, pasta and potatoes as a side dish are simply tired, then chestnuts can be prepared as an addition to meat or fish.
  3. Saturates the body with vitamins and microelements without harm thin waist. As noted above, chestnuts contain a lot of protein, in addition, they are a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. In reasonable quantities, the product will not only benefit, but also help to saturate the body with everything you need during the diet. Athletes can use the product as a source of protein after training.
  4. Universal medicine. Chestnut-nut is useful for diseases of the respiratory organs, thrombophlebitis, varicose veins. A decoction of fruits, bark or leaves will help relieve acute symptoms of hemorrhoids and remove skin problems.
  5. Is the source women's health. For the fair sex, the product is recommended for mastitis, mastopathy.

Contraindications

In any case, if there are the slightest health problems, you should consult your doctor before introducing chestnuts into your diet.

  • allergies;
  • poor blood clotting;
  • acute gastritis and gastric ulcer;
  • violation of the menstrual cycle;
  • pregnant women;
  • low blood pressure;
  • stool problems;
  • completeness.

Before you understand how to properly roast chestnuts, you should learn how to choose a nut. There are fruits of edible and inedible plants. It must be remembered that it is impossible to eat any chestnut, since some nuts can even be poisonous.

Traditionally used in cooking:

  • seed chestnut;
  • American;
  • city, or Japanese;
  • the softest, or Chinese;
  • chinkapin.

These varieties of chestnuts with a spiky shell are suitable for eating, the color of which must certainly be green. The fruits should be elongated, outwardly similar to an ordinary onion with a small tail.

But the bumpy, round fruits of horse chestnut are better not to even try to eat, because this is at least food poisoning.

How to roast chestnuts at home - the main ways

When the chestnuts are selected, you can start cooking them. Surely no one will be indifferent to the taste of roasted chestnuts. Let's find out how to roast chestnuts at home. There are several ways, but any of them must begin with a sorting of fruits.

First of all, it is necessary to throw out all damaged, dented, cracked or spoiled copies. Good nuts should be thoroughly washed with a sponge and poured into a container of water.

You can cook only nuts that have sunk in the water, those fruits that have surfaced, without pity, are sent to the trash can.

The Chosen Ones good fruit must be left in water for at least 15 minutes, then dried with a towel and pierced with a fork so that the shell does not burst during the frying process.

in a frying pan

Roasting chestnuts just in a pan is not difficult at all. This results in a tasty and healthy dish.

  1. A thin and small frying pan is not suitable for frying chestnuts. It is necessary to take a frying pan with thick sides and a bottom and quite roomy.
  2. There should be enough oil so that it completely covers the beans, and it is better to put moistened napkins on top so that the chestnuts do not dry out.
  3. Chestnuts begin to explode when heated, and keep these delicious nuts the lid will be able to prevent jumping out of the pan.
  4. Roast them for about half an hour over medium heat.
  5. In order not to overcook the chestnuts, from time to time it is necessary to shake them during the frying process, but under a closed lid. You can also stir occasionally with a spatula.
  6. You can determine the readiness of a chestnut by simply pressing on it. Ready chestnut will be soft.
  7. Spread the finished product on paper towels to remove excess fat.

In the oven

If you do not know how to roast chestnuts at home, choose the method of cooking them in the oven. Roasted in this way, they will keep all their useful material without absorbing excess oil.

To do this, you need to perform a number of actions.

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
  2. Cut or chop the sorted, washed and dried fruits.
  3. Put the prepared product on an oven sheet greased with vegetable oil with the cut up.
  4. Sprinkle the fruits with water and send to bake for no more than 20 minutes.
  5. To prevent the chestnuts from burning, it is necessary to move them periodically.
  6. When the fruit becomes soft, and the shell itself begins to crack easily, you can take out the chestnuts, cool and clean.

Chestnuts are ready! You can serve them as a side dish or on their own.

in the microwave

Another way to cook chestnuts quickly at home is to roast them in the microwave. The process of preparing these tender fruits is the same as in the previous two cases, but they will have to be prepared in two stages.

  1. Put the prepared chestnuts in a deep dish for the microwave, cover with wet wipes, put in the microwave for 5 minutes at maximum power. Do not be lazy and stir the nuts every one and a half minutes.
  2. In the second step, add to the dish vegetable oil and bake for another 15 minutes, stirring at the same frequency.

In air grill

The recipe for cooking chestnuts in an air grill is similar to baking in an oven.

  1. Sort the fruits, soak, dry and cut.
  2. Put good nuts on a baking sheet of an air fryer.
  3. Bake chestnuts for about half an hour at a temperature of 180 degrees.
  4. There is one secret to baking chestnuts in this glass pan - the lower and upper grates must be covered with foil. Then the effect of a double boiler is formed and the nuts do not dry out and become hard.

How to peel roasted chestnuts?

You can peel a chestnut from the shell by simply pressing on it. The shell will begin to lag behind by itself and it is enough just to remove it.

It is necessary to start cleaning immediately after cooking the beans, within ten minutes, since it is much easier to remove the shell from warm nuts. As the chestnut cools, the shell becomes harder and harder to remove.

It is necessary to clean the nut not only from the upper peel, but also from the inner films and membranes.

To make it easier to remove the skin, before roasting chestnuts, you can put them for a short time on steam bath. They also wrap the finished product in a damp towel to make it easier to clean.

The Italians and the French use a special secret of cleaning ready-made chestnuts - they put them in a bag. This not only makes chestnuts easier to peel, but also stays warm longer.

In order to cook a dish with your own hands at home that will not be inferior to a restaurant one, you should pay attention to some useful recommendations.

  1. Boil the chestnuts for a few minutes before frying.
  2. Be sure to prick or cut each nut. So they will not shoot out of the pan and will be easier to clean.
  3. Spread the beans in the cooking container in only one layer.
  4. You do not need to roast the nuts for a long time so that they do not become hard.
  5. You can store raw chestnuts for a short time, just a couple of days, in a cool place.
  6. Extend expiration date ready meal you can put it in the freezer.

Conclusion

Chestnut is a wonderful delicacy, very useful for the body and having a great nutritional value. As it turns out, these tender beans are not that difficult to cook. At the same time, you can eat it as an independent dish, a side dish, add it to a salad or soup, and even serve it as a dessert.

Such unusual product diversifies the daily menu and becomes an exotic highlight holiday table. It will not only bring joy to your taste buds but also quickly and permanently satisfy the feeling of hunger.

One of the favorite delicacies of the Parisians are hot chestnuts. They are prepared and sold right on the streets of the most romantic city in the world. Residents and guests of Paris buy them and eat from a bag, closing their eyes with pleasure. And then they ask the French how to roast chestnuts in order to pamper themselves more often when they return home.

These reddish-cinnamon fruits are good not only in quality self-dish. They are also included in the recipe for many other dishes. But before we talk about how to cook chestnuts, let's talk about which ones you can eat.

After all, this name hides several different varieties nuts that look alike.

All of them are covered with a spiky green shell, under which shiny fruits of a characteristic shade are hidden. Here are just those that are edible, more elongated, shaped like an onion, at the sharp end they have a tiny tail. The tree on which they grow has long, toothed leaves attached to the branch with a cutting. You can cook chestnuts of this variety without any fear.

But the fruits of trees with large spreading leaves, somewhat reminiscent of maple leaves, are not worth eating - you can get poisoned. Their nuts are round, sometimes bumpy. And, unfortunately, it is they who grow in abundance in central Russia. So it is better for residents of this region to buy chestnuts in the store.

Method 1

  1. First of all, regardless of the chosen cooking method, they need to be cut. This can be done with special scissors, or ordinary sharp knife. Carefully make a longitudinal incision on the side, so as to slightly capture the pulp of the nut. You can pierce with a fork or cut the brown peel crosswise from a sharp edge. Almost any recipe for chestnuts begins with this action.


  • Now there are holes in the nut for the release of steam and they can be fried in a pan. It's a good idea to use a regular thick-walled bowl with a heavy lid, like the one you're using for popcorn. A grill pan would be a great choice. It needs to be heated over moderate heat without oil and put chestnuts on it.
  • If they are old and dark, wrinkled flesh is visible through the cut, you can splash a tablespoon of water on them or lay a damp towel on top. So they are steamed at the first stage of cooking and will not be dry. But even without these manipulations, the result will be successful. The main thing to remember is that it is right to fry chestnuts in a frying pan under a lid, over moderate heat, stirring from time to time. When they begin to bounce and burst with loud pops, you can simply shake the container.
  • Check the nuts. If they have darkened, the brown shell has charred in places, and the cut has parted, revealing light flesh, the chestnuts are ready. Now you can cool them slightly, remove the peel (this is easy while they are hot) and eat. Do not wait until they have completely cooled down - the taste will greatly lose from this.
  • Method 2

    1. If desired, you can cook chestnuts in the oven. For her, it is better to make a cruciform incision on the fruits from one of the edges.
  • Put the prepared nuts on a dry baking sheet and put in the oven, heated to 220 degrees.
  • After 15-20 minutes, check their condition. If the incision opens like a flower, you can turn off the fire - everything is ready.
  • Trying not to burn yourself, put on kitchen gloves, remove the peel from the nuts.
  • Method 3

    1. You can also cook chestnuts in the microwave. It is fast, modern and, if you are not too lazy and make the necessary cuts on each of them, it is safe.
    2. Having prepared the fruits in this way, put them in a wide, but shallow container for microwave ovens.
  • Slightly salt them and pour a few tablespoons into them hot water. Since it is almost impossible to roast chestnuts in the microwave, it is better to steam them and peel them. Then, if you really want to, fry the kernels a little in oil or without it.
  • In the meantime, cover the container cling film or a lid (preferably not glass) and put in the microwave for 6-8 minutes at full power. Try one thing, cook for a few more minutes if necessary.
  • Serve the peeled chestnuts hot, in a beautiful plate. Eat them with soft music or a good old French comedy, and enjoy the Parisian romance in your home.