Chestnuts

Pretty labour intensive, but worth it as once they are sauteed in a bit of butter they are satisfyingly both crunchy and creamy. Once peeled they should be used within a couple of days.They are a truly seasonal product that doesn’t have the shelf life of other nuts, so are best stored in the fridge. To peel, use a small, sharp knife to cut a small cross through the pointy end of the chestnut. Put into boiling water, cover and boil steadily for 8 minutes. They should be peeled while still warm, and to that end, we tend to leave them in the water and pull out a few at a time. Both the glossy dark brown shell and the inner papery layer need to be removed. The second layer can really have an unpleasant taste, so persevere. It’s not a big deal if the chestnut breaks into pieces, as they are probably easier to use this way. The next step is to roast or saute the peeled chestnuts in butter, then they are ready to be combined with other ingredients...
Chestnuts do have an affinity with cabbage and brussels sprouts. I think they also work well with radicchio in a warm salad - perhaps we will get that on the menu soon with some duck. Pumpkin, sage and chestnut is the other obvious pairing this time of year.This week we have lucked onto a small supply of nettles, so have made some nettle pasta to serve with our pumpkin and chestnuts. I think nettles have a very nutty flavour, and with a bit of brown butter all these elements work together well. It’s a very pretty pasta to work with too...