Roasting on an open fire | Chestnuts

Chestnuts are sweet large edible seeds that come from the chestnut tree. They are found in a prickly case which splits open when ripe in autumn.

They have been cultivated in the Mediterranean for at least 3,000 years, in China for 2,000 years and in Japan since the 11th century.

Chestnuts have to be peeled and cooked before using. They can be roasted in their shells, candied (marrons glacé), boiled, braised or puréed. Their sweet nutty flavour combines well with game, poultry, starchy vegetables, mushrooms, chocolate, whipped cream or vanilla.

Though the fruit can be peeled and eaten raw, it can be somewhat astringent, especially if the pellicle is not removed.

Roasting removes the astringent taste. Before roasting, be sure to score the fruit to prevent undue expansion and "explosion" of the fruit. Once cooked, its texture is similar to that of a baked potato, with a delicate, sweet, and nutty flavour. In many European cities as well as in the US roasted chestnuts can be bought from street vendors on cold crisp autumn days as a warm treat.

Chestnut flour is readily available throughout the year and can be used to prepare breads, cakes, pancakes and pasta, and is the original ingredient in polenta. It can also be used as a thickener for soups, stews and sauces.

It a sweet strong flavour and a slightly pasty texture when cooked. Dried chestnuts lend a smoky flavour and robustness of character to soups or stews. There are two types of puréed chestnut: sweetened and unsweetened, which are used in sweet and savoury dishes respectively.

The nuts can also be eaten candied, boiled, steamed, grilled, or roasted in sweet or savoury recipes. They can be used to stuff vegetables, poultry, fowl and other edibles. They are available fresh, dried, ground or canned (whole or in puree).

A fine granular sugar can be obtained from the fermentation of the juice, as well as a beer; the roasted fruit provides a coffee substitute.

Candied chestnuts (whole chestnuts candied in sugar syrup, then iced) are sold under the French name marrons glacés. They appeared in France in the 16th century.

Chestnuts are picked in autumn, and candied from the start of the following summer for the ensuing Christmas. Thus the marrons glacés eaten at Christmas are those picked the year before.

Sweet chestnuts are not easy to peel when cold. One kilogram of untainted chestnuts yields about 700g of shelled chestnuts.

Unlike other nuts and seeds, chestnuts are relatively low in calories, contain less fat but are rich in minerals, vitamins and phyto-nutrients. They are of similar nutritional composition as that of sweet potatoes, sweet corn and potatoes, consisting mainly of starch, though containing much higher quality protein. As chestnuts are gluten-free, chestnut flour makes an ideal substitute to wheat flour for persons with wheat allergies or celiac disease.