In November, appetizing Caucasian chestnuts appear on the markets of our country. In many European countries, chestnuts have become one of the most favorite dishes. Unfortunately, they appear on sale only in the middle of autumn, during the ripening of these nuts.

Roasted chestnuts are very popular with the onset of the Christmas holidays.

These delicious nuts are considered a symbol of the Christmas table in European countries. Turkeys are stuffed with chestnuts and various desserts are prepared from them, fried and baked in the oven. Baked chestnuts have recently gained popularity in our country.

There are a great variety of edible chestnuts, but it is the “sweet chestnuts” that are especially popular. Chestnuts, like ordinary nuts, have high calorie content. But compared to almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnut chestnuts contain a small amount of fat. Chestnuts are ideal for a vegetarian diet. The composition of these fruits contains about 3% of useful minerals, 3.5% of fiber, vitamins A, B and C.

What chestnuts can you eat

Although there are many different types chestnuts, not all of them can be eaten. Those chestnuts that bloom with candles and grow in parks and near our homes are ordinary horse chestnuts. The fruits of these chestnuts are inedible. They can be easily distinguished from southern chestnuts. Only one chestnut grows in a small box with thick thorns. South Caucasian chestnuts are more like hedgehogs, they have small needles that are tightly located to each other. Each box contains several fruits.

Southern chestnuts have a sweetish taste, while horse chestnuts, on the contrary, are very bitter. Horse chestnuts are not poisonous, they contain many useful substances, but such chestnuts are not desirable. Edible chestnuts grow mainly in the Caucasus and Europe. They come to the shelves of our stores from Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The most valuable are the Sicilian chestnuts. European chestnuts are practically not exported, which is why it is almost impossible to find chestnuts the size of tangerines in stores or on the market. Today we will tell you how to cook chestnuts at home.

How to roast chestnuts

The first step is to cut the chestnuts. This can be done using special scissors or you can use a regular knife. Make a small incision on the side of the fruit to just grab the flesh of the nut. You can also cut the chestnut skin crosswise from a sharper edge. It is with the cleansing of the skin that any recipe for the preparation of these fruits begins.

In this way, you will make holes in the chestnuts for steam to escape and you can start frying them in a pan. To cook chestnuts on the stove, it is advisable to use a thick-walled dish with a lid, such as the one in which you cook popcorn. You can use a grill pan for this. Put it on the stove and heat over moderate heat without adding oil. Now you can put chestnuts on a heated pan.

If you are using old chestnuts and the cuts show wrinkled and dark flesh, you can add a little water to the pan or cover them with a damp towel. Thus, the chestnuts will steam well at the first stage of cooking and they will not be dry when ready. But these manipulations can not be done, the end result will still turn out to be successful. The most important thing is to fry the chestnuts in a frying pan under a lid over low heat, stirring occasionally. When the chestnuts start popping loud enough and bouncing around, you can only shake the pan or thick-walled pot a little.

Now you can check the nuts. If suddenly the chestnuts have darkened, and the shell has peeled off in places and light flesh is visible through the cut, then the chestnuts are completely ready. Let the cooked chestnuts cool slightly and carefully remove the skin from them and you can eat them. Don't wait until the roasted chestnuts are completely cool, as they will taste very different.

How to cook chestnuts in the microwave

You can also cook chestnuts in microwave oven. This is the most modern, fastest and safest method of cooking, of course, if you are not too lazy to make cuts on chestnuts.

As mentioned above, cut each chestnut with a sharp knife, place them in a not very deep microwaveable container. Lightly salt the chestnuts to taste and add a couple of tablespoons of water. Since it is impossible to roast chestnuts in the microwave, steam them a little and carefully remove the skin. If desired, you can fry the chestnuts a little in oil.

Cover the container with chestnuts with a lid or cling film and place in the microwave at full power for about seven minutes. After this time, taste one chestnut and, if necessary, continue cooking for a few more minutes.

How to cook chestnuts in the oven

Optionally, you can cook chestnuts in the oven. For this method, it is desirable to make a small cross-shaped incision on the fruits on either side.

Take a dry baking sheet and put all the prepared chestnuts on it, place in a preheated oven. After about twenty minutes, you can check the condition of the fruits. If suddenly the chestnut cuts open, then you can turn off the oven. Put on mittens so as not to burn your hands, pull out the chestnuts and carefully remove the skin.

Dessert from chestnuts

You want to please your children or pleasantly surprise invited guests, in this case, prepare unusual dessert from chestnuts.

3 tablespoons butter,

500 grams of fresh chestnuts,

85 milligrams of cognac,

First of all, you need to peel the chestnuts. Make cross cuts on the fruit and place on a baking sheet in the oven. Heat the chestnuts in the oven until the skin bursts. Remove the chestnuts from the oven and remove the skin.

Boil the peeled chestnuts for five minutes. Transfer the boiled chestnuts to a refractory form, mix with a little sugar and butter. Roast the chestnuts in the oven for five minutes. Pour cognac over cooked chestnuts while serving.

A beautiful plant - chestnut is familiar only to a certain part of the world's population, since, due to its natural characteristics, it can grow and multiply only in special climatic conditions. But despite this, roasted chestnuts today can be tasted in any part of the world. It will not be difficult for travel lovers to find at least one institution in any city in Europe, Asia, America and the countries of the former Soviet Union, where they would not treat this delicacy or show how to roast chestnuts.

What is useful in chestnuts

The chestnut belongs to the beech genus, but there are only a few edible species that can be eaten.

If you choose the wrong type of chestnut for food, you can seriously harm your health.

The mineral composition of the edible species of this plant includes:

• starch;
• carbohydrates;
• protein;
• cellulose;
• tannins;
• beta carotene;
• vitamins A, C and group B.

The energy value of chestnut is 170 kcal per 100 g of product. In addition, roasted chestnuts, the benefits of which also consist in the presence of a number of useful substances - potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, manganese and selenium are in great demand as a component of the dietary product menu. The fats and proteins that make up chestnuts make them highly nutritious and especially popular with athletes.

Known benefits of chestnuts in the treatment of upper respiratory tract, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, leg fatigue and swelling. You should not use roasted and baked chestnuts for people with gastrointestinal diseases, patients diabetes and those with blood problems, as well as those who care about their figure.

In my own way appearance edible and decorative chestnuts do not differ from each other in appearance.

How to Roast Chestnuts

Due to the popularity of this special product, many are interested in how to roast chestnuts at home. To begin with, it is worth choosing from the available chestnut fruits that are not spoiled, of good quality. To check which of them can be eaten, you need to fill them with water. Those chestnuts that float should be removed, and those that have settled to the bottom can be cooked.

How to cook chestnuts yourself

There is a standard method for roasting chestnuts at home, the recipe of which is as follows:

1. Before frying the fruits, it is necessary to pierce or cut them in several places with a fork. This will prevent them from exploding.
2. Chestnuts are placed in a deep frying pan filled with oil, a few wet wipes are laid on top of them. This is one of the tricks on how to roast chestnuts at home so that they are not hard and dry. The pan must be covered with a lid - this is another feature of how to properly roast chestnuts. if the chestnuts start to burst and explode, then bouncing they will not fall out of the pan.
3. How long to roast chestnuts should not exceed 30 minutes. Periodically during frying, chestnuts should be shaken with the lid closed.
4. The finished dish is lightly salted and served chilled.

Roasted chestnuts, the recipe of which is described above - this is classic way their cooking, which recalls the taste of this dish offered in some countries - France, Spain and others right on the street. The above method shows how to fry chestnuts in a pan. But there are other ways that offer to do it in the oven or even on an open fire, on a fire during a picnic.

Before frying chestnuts, it should be noted that their edible form is much smaller than horse chestnuts, and also has a flat surface on one side. Roasted chestnuts, the recipe for which involves soaking them, can be easily peeled after cooking - you just need to press on them from above and they will begin to crack and peel.

It is best to peel the chestnuts right away, as it will be much more difficult to do this later.

Knowing how to roast chestnuts in a pan, you can cook a large number of dishes with it. Roasted chestnuts are often used as an addition to salads, an additional ingredient for meat and fish dishes.

Recipes with roasted chestnuts

At home, you can cook delicious baked chestnut fruits. We offer a recipe for how to roast chestnuts in the oven without spending a lot of time. To do this, chestnuts in the amount of 20 pieces, which are laid out in a preheated oven, are baked for 35 minutes. They are cleaned while still warm.

Since you can bake chestnuts in the oven at home even before the arrival of guests, this will be a pleasant surprise, especially for those who love unusual and exotic dishes. Roasted chestnuts can be added to salads and other types of dishes. We offer a recipe for one of the salads with baked chestnuts, which is prepared according to the following principle:

1. Peel the chestnuts baked in the oven, add arugula, cherry tomatoes, Bell pepper and undercooked durum pasta.
2. The sauce is prepared separately - olive oil is mixed with lemon juice.
3. The ingredients are mixed and seasoned with sauce.

Vegetarian roast with chestnuts

This dish is popular among people who do not eat meat - vegetarians. The protein that prevails in chestnut fruits and mushrooms can replace meat. The method of preparing this dish is quite easy and will not take much time from the hostess.

Cooking

1. Mushrooms are fried and stewed with cognac until the liquid has completely evaporated.
2. Chestnuts are cleaned and crushed with hazelnuts.
3. On the olive oil fry garlic, onion. Add cumin with thyme.
4. All contents are mixed and placed in a mold, adding a little water.
5. Put the dish in a preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes.

chestnuts in milk

For this dish you will need:

Ingredients

• chestnuts - 500 g;
• milk - 0.5 l;
• sugar (honey) - 2 tbsp. l.;
• cinnamon - 1 pc.

Cooking

1. Peel fresh chestnuts.
2. Boil chestnut kernels for several minutes in water, then peel off the film.
3. Put the kernels in milk and add sugar or honey, cinnamon stick.
4. Put the container with milk and chestnuts on water bath and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to soften the chestnuts.

This wonderful dessert will delight lovers of roasted and baked chestnuts with its unusual taste and original preparation.

Chestnuts are national pride and a highlight of French cuisine. However, they did not immediately fall into the category of exquisite delicacies. For a long time, this product was considered the food of the lower strata of the population - the poor. They simply collected ripe kernels and roasted them on hot coals. The tradition of selling hot chestnuts has been preserved to this day. Many tourists, traveling in France, could well see how this delicacy is prepared right on the street. Some, returning home from a trip, want to repeat the culinary masterpiece and wonder why, when cooked, the kitchen becomes like a minefield - chestnuts explode and scatter, and their taste is nothing like the original. The thing is that you need to know how to eat chestnuts, how to cook them properly and what varieties can generally be used.

What are chestnuts?

The first trees with edible kernels were brought to France from the East as early as the 13th century. Chestnuts were called breadfruit.

Edible chestnuts: benefits and harms, contraindications, how to cook edible chestnuts

It was believed that if someone has a seedling or an adult tree growing in the garden, then this person will always be full and rich. The chestnuts had another name. Due to the fact that pigs were fed with their fruits, the tree was called sausage.

However, it should be said that not all chestnuts can be eaten. The inedible variety is called horse, and medicines and tinctures are prepared from it. But the fruits of the edible, or noble, chestnut are just eaten and prepared from it. various dishes. This variety grows in southern Europe. Ripe fruits are harvested in late autumn. For better storage, each chestnut should be pricked in several places with a sharp needle.

Today it is the most exquisite delicacy served in France. The locals just love it. In October, they celebrate the festival of chestnuts, and also add these fruits to many dishes. They can be fried, steamed, added to sweets, ice cream, sausages and side dishes. Traditionally, chestnuts are used to stuff the Christmas turkey, and on the basis of a special paste, this product is used to prepare delicate creams for decorating cakes and pastries.

How are chestnuts prepared?

The most common way to prepare chestnuts is to roast their kernels over hot coals. To prevent them from exploding and flying over the brazier during cooking, small cuts are made on the hard shell with a sharp knife. This ancient technique has survived to this day, when chestnuts are cooked in a pan, in the oven or in the microwave. However, if you have been to France or watched travel videos, you may well have seen that street chefs do not make any cuts on the skin of the kernels when preparing this delicacy. The point is that when hot a large number chestnuts, the dissection of the shell of each of them is a rather laborious task. Therefore, the cook uses a special grate that prevents the kernels from scattering in different directions.

Baked chestnuts are far from the only way to prepare a delicacy. For example, this product may well replace potatoes in its own way. palatability. It will also turn out very tasty and fragrant pilaf, if you add several cores to it. Chestnuts are used for stuffing poultry, pork, they are added to sauces and sweets.

And from the peeled kernels of this tree, flour is made, which is used to make pies, pies, cakes, pancakes and other pastries. Chestnuts are glazed, and then they taste like sweets. Specially made paste is perfect for decorating cakes, making creams and jams. In addition, there is another chestnut product - honey.

How to eat chestnuts

If someone is interested in the question of how to eat chestnuts, it is worth noting that some rules for their use still exist. For example, they should not be eaten by pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding. It is worth refraining from absorbing delicacies and those who suffer from food allergies. Still, an unfamiliar product can cause an undesirable reaction of the body. Well, chestnuts are forbidden for those people who have a history of kidney failure.

You should also carefully approach the choice of the right variety. For example, when eating horse chestnuts, you can get serious food poisoning. Yes, and edible varieties should be treated with caution, since the abuse of this product usually causes bloating and intestinal problems.

Roasted chestnuts

Most of us perceive chestnuts only as plants, but in fact they can also be an excellent delicacy. lovers unusual taste roast fresh chestnuts and eat them. It is worth noting that it is not only tasty, but also healthy, as they contain a lot of potassium, fiber, vitamins, ascorbic and folic acids.

Roasted chestnuts are sold right on the streets of many European cities, just like roasted peanuts, and if you want to try this non-standard dish, we will tell you how to cook roasted chestnuts yourself. It is only worth remembering that there are several types of chestnuts and not all of them are safe and suitable for eating. Therefore, if you yourself do not know how to choose the right harmless fruits, then it is better to buy them in a store.

In addition, before starting cooking, the quality of chestnuts is also worth checking. To do this, put them in a pot of water and see which ones float to the surface. These fruits are spoiled and should not be eaten.

Roasted chestnuts - recipe

There are several ways to cook this food, but in this recipe we want to take a closer look at how to roast chestnuts in a pan.

First of all, you need to choose fresh chestnuts and wash them. After that, make a cross cut on each chestnut so that they do not explode when they are roasted. Take a pan with holes in the base (you can do without them), put the chestnuts on it and cover them with napkins or paper towels, well moistened with water and folded several times.

Close the pan with a lid, put on a small fire and cook your dish, shaking it occasionally so that all the chestnuts are evenly roasted. During frying, the condition of the napkins should be monitored, if they begin to dry out, they must be moistened in water, poured from a bottle, for example.

On average, chestnuts are roasted for about 20 minutes, their readiness can be determined by the condition of the peel. When it is already pretty dark and charred, remove the napkins and cook the dish for a couple more minutes, shaking the pan. Pour the finished chestnuts onto a dish and try immediately, as they are the most delicious when warm.

How to roast chestnuts in the oven?

If you do not have a pan suitable for roasting chestnuts, or you prefer to cook in the oven, we will share the method of roasting chestnuts in it.

Take fresh chestnuts, wash them and dry them. Then make a cross cut on one side of each and place them cut side up on a baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees and send the chestnuts into it for 20-30 minutes. Then take them out, wrap them in a towel and squeeze a little so that the peel is behind the pulp. Leave the chestnuts in a towel for 5 minutes and then serve.

How to roast chestnuts in the microwave?

The main condition for the safe preparation of chestnuts in the microwave is to make cuts, on each of them with a knife or pierce with a fork, so that steam comes out of them.

When all the fruits are ready, put them in a wide, but shallow dish for the microwave oven. Pour in a few tablespoons. hot water and sprinkle with a little salt. Cover the dish with a lid (preferably not glass) or cling film and turn on the microwave oven at full power for 6-8 minutes.

Taste the chestnuts and cook for a couple more minutes if needed. Please note that in the microwave you get not so much fried as steamed chestnuts. They taste very good in this form, but if you want, you can peel the fruits and fry the kernels for 4-5 minutes with or without oil. Well, if you want to try other dishes with these fruits, then it’s better to ask how to cook chestnuts.

Each of us loves tasty and satisfying food. Often the question arises before the housewives: what to cook in order to please loved ones and not spend a lot of effort and time on it? If you really want to surprise your loved ones, try roasted chestnuts!

Many, for sure, do not even know that chestnuts are edible, but this is true. And if they are also cooked correctly, then the dish will turn out to be unusual, tasty and original. Chestnuts have been a favorite delicacy since ancient times. The most ancient Romans and Greeks loved to eat them for dessert and as a snack with wines. Chestnuts are widely distributed in European cuisine. They are on the menu of many restaurants in France, Italy and other places that know a lot about food. For example, in Paris, chestnuts are cooked right on the street in special large frying pans and immediately treated to passers-by. Moreover, in France they are baked on fires, in pans with special holes, soups are cooked from them, served with seafood, and even bread and sweets are made from chestnut flour.

How to Roast Chestnuts?

Chestnuts taste like a cross between a nut and a potato. If you eat them raw, they will be crispy, but if you boil them, they will become soft. Chestnut is used as the basis of the dish. They can be bought in ordinary stores by weight, frozen and in jars in the form of ready-made puree. But it is even easier to find chestnuts right on the street, because they actively grow on trees in autumn. But be careful! If you decide to pick chestnuts yourself, you need to know which fruits you can take, and which ones are better to refuse. In appearance, they are all the same and covered with a brown shell. But not everything can be eaten! Edible chestnuts are slightly elongated and look like bulbs. The trees on which they grow have carved, serrated leaves that are attached to the branches with a handle. If the leaves resemble maple leaves, it is better not to pick chestnuts from them, because. can be easily poisoned. When you split such a fruit, you will see that their nuts are round and slightly embossed.

Chestnuts are extremely beneficial for health, like all other nuts, they contain natural vegetable proteins and carbohydrates that are easily absorbed by the body. They contain such important substances as ascorbic and folic acids, potassium, copper, iron and zinc.

How to roast chestnuts in a pan?

First, they must be cut. You can do this with scissors or a regular knife. Cut on the side to lightly touch the nut itself. This is done so that when frying, steam comes out of the chestnuts freely.

If the chestnuts are not young and the flesh in them is wrinkled, you can add a little water to them or cover them with a damp towel. This will allow them to steam well.
So, now that we've learned how to pick and process chestnuts, it's time to learn how to cook them!

Chestnuts need to be peeled and the bitter veins removed. Then they should be rubbed with a brush and washed. plain water. After that, as we have already said, you need to make cuts in the chestnuts or just pierce them deeply with a fork.

Take any large skillet with thick walls, special barbecue dishes are best. Next, heat it well and lay out the chestnuts. No oil needs to be added! Do not forget that chestnuts must be covered with a lid and roasted over moderate heat. If they start to crackle and burst, just shake the pan. Do not rush to immediately cool the dish. They are good hot!

Thoroughly it is worth approaching the choice of dishes. There are special frying pans for roasting chestnuts. Their distinguishing feature is small holes at the bottom.

Important frying rules:

• Don't roast the chestnuts too long. If you overheat the fruits, you will not be able to gnaw them!
• Eat nuts hot, otherwise they will lose their taste and nutrients.
• Remove not only the shell, but also the partitions.
• Raw chestnuts are best stored in dark, cool rooms. For example, in closets.

How to roast chestnuts in the oven?

Another interesting way to cook chestnuts is to bake them in the oven. To begin with, you also need to wash and cut them.

Next, put the fruits on a baking sheet and put in the oven, heated to 220 degrees. Wait until your chestnuts begin to crack and open. This means that the dish is ready and you can safely try it. You can add salt or sugar to give it a piquant taste.

And here's another one interesting recipe cooking chestnuts in the oven.

Composition:

1. Chestnuts - 500 gr.
2. Eggs - 2 pcs.
3. Cheese - 200 gr.
4. Breadcrumbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

Cooking:

• Grate nuts, cheese on a plate, add breadcrumbs and pepper.
• In a separate bowl, break the eggs and put the chestnuts there.
• Next, combine the resulting mixture with cheese, and put everything in a greased baking dish. Bake until done.

Surely, many have heard that in addition to the Eiffel Tower, numerous street vendors are the symbol of Paris. Indeed, right on the sidewalks there are miniature, and sometimes not very miniature braziers on which this simple delicacy is prepared.

Having tried it, many tourists ask themselves the question: “How to roast chestnuts at home? And how feasible is this? This can really be easily reproduced in your kitchen, having a gas or electric stove and a baking sheet or pan.

at home?

Before proceeding to the description of the process itself, let's talk about where to get raw materials for it. The fact is that the fruits of the growing in almost all regions of our country, except for the very horse chestnut, are not suitable for food. Yes, they are very beautiful - lacquered brown rounds, but they taste very bitter.

To do this, you need to go to the market or supermarket and purchase a completely different variety - edible trees. They even look different from the horse - much smaller, darker in color and one side is necessarily flat. Strictly speaking, they are not even chestnuts, since the tree on which they grow belongs to the beech family, but we will not go into botanical details now, since we need to eat them, not classify them.

How to roast chestnuts in a pan or on a baking sheet?

Before proceeding with the actual preparation of the dish, the fruits must be lowered into the water. In addition to the fact that dirt will be washed off from them, you can still reject spoiled chestnuts - they will simply pop up. They need to be thrown away, and the rest should be dried and pricked with a fork or cut with a knife. If this is not done, then during the cooking process, the water that the fruits are soaked in will boil and break the shell. That is, you get a series of miniature explosions - a kind of mini-cannonade in your kitchen, similar to the one that occurs when frying popcorn. But grains of corn are much smaller than chestnuts, so it is better not to bring them to such a state.

Another trick related to how to roast chestnuts at home is that the fruits laid on a baking sheet or pan must be covered with wet wipes. This will prevent them from drying out excessively during the cooking process and becoming hard. They will fry for about half an hour, and during this time you will need to replace the dried napkins with fresh ones a couple of times.

If you chose a skillet as a dish, then cover it with a lid, because, despite the cuts, some chestnuts can still explode, and you will have to collect them all over the kitchen. It is not necessary to cover the baking sheet, since these “jumps” will not be able to leave the oven.

The readiness of the fruit is determined simply - press the chestnut with your finger. If it's soft, then it's time to take it off the heat. Now you know how to roast chestnuts at home and you can enjoy this dish yourself and treat your loved ones without even being in Paris. And do not deny yourself the pleasure of trying raw fruits - they are also very tasty.

Those of you who have visited Europe at least once for Christmas will surely remember the taste of roasted chestnuts. They are sold everywhere at this time and right on the street. Not so long ago, edible chestnuts appeared on our sale, but our hostesses do not know how to cook them at all. In this article, you will learn how to simply roast chestnuts, and how to cook gourmet dishes from chestnuts.

What chestnuts can be used in the kitchen

In many cities, chestnut trees grow on the streets and in parks, which bloom with white inflorescences resembling candles. By autumn, they produce shaggy boxes with brown fruits inside in the form of large shiny nuts. These city trees are called "Horse Chestnuts" and their fruits are inedible. Horse chestnuts in a box have one large nut - and this is its main difference from southern chestnuts. Southern chestnuts in a shaggy box have several small nuts, each of which is placed in its brown shiny shell. Only fruits from southern chestnuts are suitable for food.

Edible chestnuts are imported to our shops and markets from Armenia and Azerbaijan. Unlike the bitter fruits of horse chestnut, these nuts have a sweet taste.

roasted chestnuts

The easiest way to cook chestnuts is to roast them.

• Remove the shaggy box from the group of nuts. A group of nuts will resemble a blackberry. Separate individual nuts from each other and remove the membranes that are between them.
• On each individual nut in a brown shell, make a cross-shaped cut with a sharp knife. If you don't do this, the chestnuts will start to explode when roasted.
• Place the cut chestnuts on a dry hot pan and cover them on top first with a damp cloth, and then with a lid. A damp cloth is needed so that the nuts do not dry out during frying.
• Roast the chestnuts, covered, for 15-20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally or stirring the nuts with a large spoon. Keep an eye on the wetness of the wipe - if it is dry, but re-moisten it.
• Remove one hot chestnut from the pan and try removing the brown skin from it. If it comes off easily, the chestnuts are ready. Dump the chestnuts from the pan onto a serving dish and remove the shells.
• Serve roasted chestnuts neat or drizzle them with chocolate fudge, condensed milk or any sweet sauce.

Boiled chestnuts with coffee sauce

This dessert dish is quite easy to prepare, but the taste deserves to be prepared by dear guests.

• Boil half a kilo of chestnuts in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the shell from them - to do this, make cuts on it before cooking.
• Peeled chestnuts boil in another water for another 20 minutes. Throw them on a sieve to glass the water.
• Take two raw egg yolks and beat them with half a glass of heavy cream and three tablespoons of cognac or brandy.
• In the resulting mass, enter one hundred milliliters of strong natural coffee sugarless. Mix the mass.
• Put three large spoons into the coffee sauce powdered sugar and stir again.
• Cook the sauce in a water bath until it thickens well. Stir constantly while cooking.
• Arrange the cooled chestnuts in bowls and pour over the cooled sauce.
• Garnish with whipped cream or green mint leaves.

Pureed chestnut soup

For the soup you will need:

• Boiled 5 minutes and peeled chestnuts - 10-12 pieces;
• Veal or chicken broth - 500 ml;
• Green celery - 1 large stalk;
• Ghee butter - 1 tbsp;
• Cream - 125 ml;
• Flour - 1 tbsp;
• Pepper and salt - to taste.

How to cook this very tasty and original soup:

• Cut the celery stalk into pieces and put them in a saucepan with the chestnuts. Pour them with hot broth and cook over low heat and covered for 30 minutes.
• Puree the chestnuts and celery with an immersion blender.
• Fry the flour in hot oil until the characteristic nutty flavor.
• Mix the fried flour and chestnut puree. Bring soup to a boil and add pepper and salt.
• Pour in the cream and heat the dish on the stove.
• Serve chestnut soup with small white loaf croutons.

Lamb in chestnut sauce

• Cut 300 g of chestnuts into shells and boil in ordinary water under a lid for at least 40 minutes. When cooked, pour cold water for 10 minutes, and then remove the shell. Set aside a few whole chestnuts and puree the rest with a potato masher or blender.
• 500 g of young lamb cut into portions and fry until golden brown on ghee - take it 4 tbsp.
• Season the lamb with two finely chopped onions and fry all together for another five minutes.
• Sprinkle the meat with one large spoonful of flour and pour half a glass of water into it.
• Stew meat with onions for 30 minutes, and then add chestnut puree, whole boiled chestnuts, salt and ground pepper. Bring the dish to readiness in a hot oven.
• When serving, garnish the meat in chestnut sauce with parsley.

In this video you will see the recipe unusual cake with chestnut cream.

Among the many famous cities in the world, Paris stands out, where thousands of couples come. They admire the beauty of architectural buildings, and also try roasted chestnuts, which only experienced chefs know how to cook. Exactly this gourmet dish considered one of the national products of France. Every year in Paris, a national holiday dedicated to the edible chestnut is held. At this time, right on the street, sellers are frying amazingly in huge pans. delicious treat. It is not difficult to imagine how the air is filled with a pleasant aroma of heated fruits, and couples in love treat each other with them.

But not everyone can go to Paris, but learning how to cook chestnuts is available to many. The main thing is to listen to the advice experienced chefs. In addition, it is important to find out what benefits regular consumption of the product brings and possible contraindications. Let's try to understand these issues.

Close acquaintance with the delicacy of lovers

To learn how to cook chestnuts, you first need to get to know them better. Each fruit contains many useful substances, namely:

• fiber;
• sugar;
• proteins;
• starch;
• oils;
• tannin elements;
• a number of vitamins.

The fruit is widely used in folk medicine in the form of tinctures and decoctions. In addition, he has refined taste for which he has been recognized all over the world. So, if you know how to cook an edible chestnut, the benefits and harms of the product, you can safely get down to business.

In order not to harm yourself, you should distinguish an edible fruit from a horse chestnut. For the preparation of delicacy, only the type of chestnut "Castanea sativa", which grows in the coastal regions of the Black Sea, is suitable.

Often people who do not have understanding confuse sweet chestnut with "Acorn". It is this plant that can harm the body. On the other hand, excessive consumption of the product leads to food allergies, bloating, intestinal upset and causes nausea. Eating roasted chestnuts is contraindicated for people suffering from such diseases:

• hypotension;
• kidney failure;
• urolithiasis disease.

It is undesirable to include chestnuts in the diet of pregnant women and nursing mothers. Since the nut is considered a high-calorie product, it is contraindicated in people who are overweight.

Culinary secrets of creating a dish

French chefs use chestnuts extensively for their culinary masterpieces. They prepare them in various ways:

• baked in the oven;
• fry in a pan;
• boiled in a saucepan;
• added to sweet desserts;
• used as an excellent snack for alcoholic beverages;
• the dried product is placed in the dough for baking.

In any case, the dish is obtained with an exotic taste and aroma. But how to cook chestnuts at home to feel like a Parisian? It turns out that everything is much simpler than it might seem.

There are several ways to create this amazing treat. For example, in order to fry fruits with high quality, they take a wide frying pan. Then spread the nuts on it.
Constantly stirring, in half an hour they will be ready. When the chestnuts have cooled, peel off, sprinkle with sugar or salt. In this form, a delicacy is served at the table.

It is advisable to cook the fruits in a pan without fat. The fire must be of medium size.

Another way to roast chestnuts consists of the following steps:

1. Fruits are poured into a pan without fat. Turn on a moderate fire and, stirring constantly, fry.
2. When the nuts are warmed up, they are covered with wet chintz cloths.
3. Some cooks simply pour water into the pan. Then reduce the level of fire to a minimum. Cover with a lid and fry for 30 minutes.

Check the readiness of the treat by pressing on the product. Soft specimens are removed from the fire and served to the table. Many cooks know how to fry chestnuts in a pan and are happy to share their experience. But the product can also be cooked in the oven.

You can fry nuts in any frying pan, but not with a Teflon coating.

You can bake the product correctly by performing the following operations:

1. First, cut off a miniature tip from each fruit.
2. Spread on a baking sheet, spreading evenly over the entire area.
3. Set in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. Ready nuts are peeled while they are warm.

The main rule of how to roast chestnuts in the oven is to preheat the oven to 240 degrees. In addition, you need to carefully monitor the process. As soon as the fruits lose moisture, they can be baked for only 7 minutes after that.

French touches on the dining table

Unfortunately, most of us will not have to walk the streets of Paris and taste roasted chestnuts. But any cook can learn how to cook chestnuts at home and feel like a Frenchman. Consider a few dishes that include fried fruits. They are used in the form of a semi-finished product, adding to vegetable stew. Chestnuts can be thoroughly mashed with a rolling pin or chopped with a blender. Then stir with milk and add to:

• various sauces;
• souffle;
• pies;
• cakes;
• cupcakes;
• ice cream.

Since the product has versatile properties, it is easy to experiment with it. Consider a recipe for how to cook chestnuts at home using additional products.

chestnut pie

Ingredients:

• chicken;
• milk;
• butter (a piece for greasing);
• salt.

The process of creating a dish:

The finished dish is cut into small portions. Serve with hot broth or cream soup.

As you can see, the Roasted Chestnuts delicacy, the recipe of which is available to everyone, can be easily prepared at home. The main thing is to follow the instructions of specialists. And then, enjoying the taste of exquisite French food, you are mentally transported to the streets of the glorious city - Paris.

Secrets of cooking chestnuts - video