Chestnuts are in season during autum (mid march to mid may), they have a sweet nutty taste and unlike other nuts have very little oil or fat in them. They are a great source of mineral salts and vitamin C, B1 and B2. You can use chestnuts in all kinds of dishes from sweet to savoury, puree to risotto or just as they are. Once cooked they are soft and have a texture similar to potato.

When buying chestnuts make sure you get firm ones as that indicates they are freshest. They should be an even size, heavy for their size and have undamaged shells. To store chestnuts keep them in the fridge rather than the cupboard as they easily spoil if they are not stored properly. Keeping them in a plastic bag is best. If they are stored properly they should last for a couple of weeks after purchase.

If you want to enjoy your chestnuts all year round you can freeze them. Simply keep the shells in tact and place them in a sealed plastic container or bag in the freezer. When you come to thaw them they won’t be much good to roast but they will be great in purees, soups or seasoning.

Here are some tips on how to prepare chestnuts:

1) Chestnuts have 2 layers of skin, when your preparing to cook them ensure that you cut around the chestnut, through the top layer so that they don’t explode during cooking.

2) When chestnuts are cooked peel them while they are still warm as it can be more difficult to do once they cool.

3) To keep chestnuts warm wrap them in a clean dry teatowel while you peel them.

Cooking:

There are several methods to cooking chestnuts, traditionally they are roasted on an open fire but here are a few other methods for those who don’t have access to an open fire!

Baking: Place chestnuts on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven (200 degrees) for about 15-20 minutes.

Boil: Place chestnuts in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until flesh is tender. This is good if using them for puree.

Microwave: Place chestnuts in a single layer in a microwave safe tray, Cook uncovered on 850watts/high for 4-6 minutes or until flesh is tender.

Grill: Cook in a pan over a medium heat for about 20-30 minutes or until soft.

So you now know how to buy, store, prepare, cook and enjoy chestnuts so go on, put them on the shopping list and try them.