Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted chestnuts © kvalifood.com

Roasted chestnuts are one of autumn and winter’s great pleasures. The chestnuts are scored with a cross, roasted in coarse salt in the oven, and served piping hot with butter. The smell alone is half the experience.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

  • 750 g sweet chestnuts
  • coarse salt

To serve

  • butter
  • salt

Directions

Prepare the chestnuts

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Fill a shallow ovenproof dish with about 1 cm of coarse salt. Score a cross in the top of each chestnut with a sharp knife — this prevents them from exploding in the oven and makes them easy to peel.

Roast in the oven

Set the chestnuts in the salt with the cross facing up. Roast in the middle of the oven for 30–40 minutes, depending on size. Take one out and taste to check it is tender.

Serving

Serve piping hot with butter and salt. Peel the chestnuts while they are still warm — they become much harder to peel once they cool down.

Notes

  • The cross on top is important: without it, the chestnuts can explode in the oven.
  • Pan method: Spread coarse salt in a 1 cm layer in a heavy-bottomed pan. Score the chestnuts and place them cut-side down. Toast for about 15 minutes over low heat, turn, and toast for another 15 minutes.
  • Chestnuts are best straight from the oven. They dry out quickly and become hard to peel as they cool.
  • Sweet chestnuts (Castanea sativa) are not the same as horse chestnuts — horse chestnuts are not edible.
  • Roasted chestnuts work well as a side dish with game, duck, and other autumn dishes.