How to roast chestnuts … kitchen helper
We’re in early autumn in Tasmania and chestnuts are in. Evocative of European winters, they are delicious roasted. However, they also have a tendency to explode when heated…so here’s a tip or two about how to stop them becoming mini-grenades in your oven or fireplace.
The key is that the shell must be pierced to relieve the pressure that builds up when heated. Follow these steps:
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Cut a cross about 2cm long on the domed side of the nut. Make sure the incision cuts through the inner skin of the chestnut. This will let the steam escape as it is heated.
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Put them in a pot of cold water and when it comes to the boil, remove with a slotted spoon.
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Next, place them in a shallow roasting pan, or cast iron pan, flat side down (cut side up) over hot coals, or in the oven at 220C.
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The shell will split open as they roast, which should take about 10-15 minutes.
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Wrap them in a clean tea towel to sit for another 10-15 minutes.
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Peel and enjoy with a scattering of sea salt.
Take it up a notch and do what the locals do in the mountains of Auvergne in France: place a napkin soaked in red wine over a plate of hot roasted chestnuts and keep them warm for 30 minutes before peeling and eating them.
