The air has been getting colder, which means many winter holidays are around the corner! Just thinking of the sumptuous feast makes us all hungry. But if you think something is missing, it's probably the American style roasted chestnuts.
Harvest from October to November, chestnuts are a type of nut native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, are a group of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus Castanea, in the beech family Fagaceae. In the outer appearance, chestnuts have a dark brown, hard, oval shell with a pointy tip and some fuzz on it. While the inside of the harder shell has a stickier fuzz, making it hard to crack the chestnut if uncooked. Lastly, many layers buried beneath is the meat, which is a creamy color, rather soft than crunchy taste.
Having a perfect growing climate for chestnut, Italy is one of the sources where produce high quality and delicious chestnut. With a dark brown exterior with no significant blemishes or cracks, the fresh Italian chestnuts season begins around in October and reaches its peak in mid-December when the roasting of the flavorful nuts fills the air with the sweet aroma of the Holidays.
This brings the topic of how the American style roasted chestnut tastes like. It is especially sweet with a pleasant chestnut aroma, a perfect fit for someone who has a sweet tooth. In addition, this tasty snack has the taste of sweet potato mixed with the tint of vanilla. To light up your holiday feast with roasted chestnuts, here is the instruction:
Instruction
Select the perfect chestnut for roasting, which doesn't have any visible holes on the surface and should not crack or bend while pressed.
On the round side of each chestnut, gently cut the chestnut skin all the way through. This prevents the chestnuts from exploding in the oven since their meat expands during roasting.
Soak the chestnuts in water or wine for at least 2 hours, which provides them some humanity and makes them easier to peel.
Preheat the oven to 350º F (10 min).
Drain the chestnut with a towel.
Arrange the chestnut separately with scored side up on a cookie sheet in the bottom third of the oven.
Roast the chestnut for 20 min at 350º F.
Place some ice cubes at the bottom of the oven to give the chestnuts a bit more humidity, to ensure they remaining tender and don't dry out too much.
After 20 min, increase the oven temperature to 425º F and roast the chestnut for 10-15 min until the chestnuts are golden brown and the meat becomes tender.
When finish roasting, be careful of the heat of chestnuts, placing them into a bowl lined with a damp towel and cover them with a damp towel.
Press the nuts with your palm to loosen the skins and rest it for 10-15 min
Be sure to remove the skin while the chestnuts are warm and enjoy your roasted chestnuts!
Recipe Source: "How to Roast Chestnuts in an Oven at Home | Roasting Chestnuts" by Piatto Recipes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVaU8V4In0
For a more detailed tutorial please watch this Youtube video:
Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. Here, Kejora Fresh wishes you a happy and warm holiday!