Chestnuts add perfect flavor to holiday cooking

The walnut, pecan and chestnut trees are loaded this year.

With that, I have had several inquiries about how to prepare and use chestnuts in recipes.

Chestnuts look strange as they grow in a spiny burr on the chestnut tree. When the burr opens or splits and releases the nut inside, they are usually ready to be prepared for use.

To see if chestnuts are ready to use, try the "pinch test." Grasp the nut with your thumb and forefinger, pinch together. If the shell feels firm, the chestnuts may need to ripen or cure a little longer. If the shell gives slightly with pressure they are ripe, sweet and ready to use in cooking or roasting. Wash off any dirt and prepare.

To prepare you must first remove the outer shell and inner bitter skin to obtain the edible kernel. Although chestnuts can be eaten raw after peeling, they are usually cooked in some way.

You must first pierce the chestnut with the sharp point of a knife to prevent them from exploding when they are cooking. One of the most common methods of preparation is to make two crosscut slices on their flat sides, and place over quick heat or microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, then in the oven until shells remove easily.

Shells must be removed while nuts are still hot. Use a towel or heavy gloves to avoid burning your hands. Some people cut the entire chestnut in half before roasting and cooking. The incision helps the skin release during cooking. They should be placed flat on a cookie sheet, not overlapping. Chestnuts have a high moisture content and should be stored in the freezer. They store best in a cold, moist climate.

For roasting over an open fire, or on a stove top, use a covered pan or an old fashioned chestnut roaster. For roasting in a oven, bring oven to 300 degrees for about 15 minutes. For microwave roasting, heat for 3 to 4 minutes at full power.

Chestnut Turkey Stuffing

8 ounces chestnuts, coarsely chopped

1/3 pound minced pork meat

Coarsely chopped turkey liver

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup chicken bouillon

To prepare chestnuts, make an incision on top of the chestnuts and boil them until they are soft, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Cool them and chop coarsely. Mix the chopped chestnuts with ground or minced pork meat, turkey liver, salt and pepper. Blend with the bouillon. Stuffing will fill a small turkey, approximately 9 pounds.

Herbed Chestnut Stuffing

1 1/2 pounds chestnuts, peeled and chopped (the chestnuts can either be roasted and peeled or boiled and peeled)

1 pound homestyle bread with crust removed, lightly toasted

1 pound sausage, cooked and crumbled

1/2 to 3/4 cup turkey or chicken stock

2 large onions, minced

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 stick unsalted butter

1 cup minced celery

3 tablespoons fresh sage

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Put toasted bread crumbs in a large bowl. Saute onion and celery in oil and butter until soft; add sausage and fresh sage. Stir thoroughly and cook a few minutes to combine flavors. Add the cooked mixture to the bread crumbs. Stir in the chestnuts, parsley and enough stock to moisten. Place the stuffing in the turkey and cook according to the directions for the turkey. Stuffing can also be placed in a buttered baking dish and baked, covered in a 350-degree oven for about an hour. Remove the cover during the last 20 minutes of baking. Stuffing will fill a 12- to 15-pound bird.

Chestnut Soup

1 stick unsalted butter

4 cups whole roasted chestnuts, about 1 1/2 pounds

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

1 parsnip, peeled and sliced

1 cup celery

7 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low sodium broth

1/2 cup Madeira wine

2 fresh parsley sprigs

Pinch fresh grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sour cream

Cayenne pepper

In a heavy saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add chestnuts and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Melt remaining butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add carrot, parsnip and celery and saute until soft, about 7 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add the chestnuts, Madeira wine, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue to simmer another 15 minutes. Puree soup in batches in a food processor or blender. (This can be prepared 2 days in advance before serving. Cover and refrigerate). Transfer pureed soup to a large saucepan, and reheat, stirring frequently. When heated through, ladle into bowls, topping with a dollop of sour cream; sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Serve.

Chocolate Chestnut Mousse

Chestnuts combined with cocoa and Amaretto make a perfect ending for a festive dinner.

2 pounds chestnuts, peeled

12 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

4 tablespoons cocoa

4 tablespoons Amaretto

16 ounces heavy whipping cream

Put chestnuts in water to cover, simmer until tender. Drain, add sugar, cocoa and Amaretto. Process in a food processor until smooth and well combined. Beat heavy cream until stiff. Fold into chestnut puree. Divide among desert glasses. Chill until set-up. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

This mousse can also be served as a filling between layers of pound cake then drizzled with sweetened raspberry puree.

Chestnut Stir Fry

1/2 to 3/4 pound chestnuts, or desired amount

1 small can bamboo shoots

1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

1 cup zucchini, sliced into 2-inch spears

7 ounce package bean thread noodles

4 thin slices fresh ginger

3 tablespoons peanut oil

Soy sauce, to taste

Place bean threads in a pan and cover with boiling water, set aside. Peel chestnuts by roasting them, set aside. Heat oil in a wok and add the ginger. Stir for 2 minutes then add the mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Stir this for a few minutes. Remove ginger. Drain and chop bean threads. Add to the fry and cook 2 minutes. Season with soy sauce and serve immediately.

Braised Pork with Chestnuts

1 oven ready pork roast, about 6 pounds

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 onions, coarsely sliced, about 1 1/2 cups

1 pound peeled chestnuts

3 rutabagas, about 3 1/2 pounds

6 1/2 cups water

Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Place in a large heavy kettle, fat side down. Add 1/2 cup water and place on medium heat. Cook covered for 15 minutes. Uncover the meat and keep cooking until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat starts to brown. Brown on all sides. Add the onion and 5 cups water; cover and cook on medium heat for 1 hour. Add the chestnuts and cook covered for another hour. Meanwhile, peel the rutabagas and cut them into 2- to 2-1/2-inch chunks. Shape the pieces with a small knife so that they are equal in size and cook uniformly. You will have about 2 1/2pounds left. Add the rutabagas, another cup of water and cook another 45 minutes, covered. Taste for seasonings adjustment as it will most likely need additional salt and pepper. By this time there should not be much liquid left. Remove the roast to a serving platter and using a slotted spoon, scoop out the chestnuts and rutabagas and place around the meat. Tip the kettle to one side so that all the juices accumulate in one corner and skim out as much fat as you can. If you have less than 1 cup of juice left, add 3/4 cup to 1 cup water to the kettle and boil on high heat for 1 to 2 minutes to melt the solidified juices and to emulsify the juices together. Pour over the meat or in a sauceboat and serve immediately. Yields about 8 servings.

I did quite a bit of research on chestnuts on the Internet and learned so much. There are thousands of recipes and information sites to review if you have access to the Internet.

I hope you have learned a little from today's column and I hope you have a chance to use what you have learned or the recipes.

Have a great week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701.