We love chestnuts, but they have usually disappointed. After scoring and roasting them, many remain rock hard, others covered in mold, and only a few survivors typically were soft and flavorful. Lots of effort, moderate expense, little reward. But wait!
Water Immersion Changes Everything
Since the chestnuts always seemed dried out, and typically were sitting out for days in a bin at the supermarket, I took a try at rehydrating. Take the chestnuts, poke a simple hole in the shell (as with an icepick), submerge in a bowl of water for 3-4 hours or overnight, and then roast for 25 minutes at 400F in a toaster oven (or some similar settings). Voila, chestnuts that were moist and tasty with shells that easily came off.
Giving Credit for Poke and Soak
I may have read a hint on a food blog months ago about soaking the chestnuts, but cannot resurrect the citation. So I don’t think I invented this approach nor is it common knowledge. But I have tried hydrating the chestnuts several times and it works. And it appears that a simple hole in the hydrated shell will prevent exploding chestnuts and the attendant mess. Which means my “ChestNutter” tool that puts a plus-sign score in each chestnut is not needed, nor is a pointy knife that too often scores the hand of the chef not just the nut.
By the Way, Chestnuts Are Healthy and Tasty
Chestnuts are a delightful mix of fiber, protein, carbs, and Vitamin C, little fat, and most important, lots of flavor. Enjoy while they are available in the end of each year.
1 comment
adostrom
I have recently been reading a lot about the demise of the American Chestnut tree and the efforts underway to hybridize or genetically modify an American Chestnut tree that can survive the blight. There are now a very few growers that are planting and selling nuts from these trees commercially, I have found none in New England. They say that the flavor of nuts from American Chestnut trees is hugely superior to those from the Chinese Chestnut, which is what we get in stores.
My plan is to plant a few trees in the spring and see what happens. The TACF (The American Chestnut Foundation – tacf.org) says that even when (not if) the trees we plant (or find in the wild) get killed by the blight. there will still be some time when they produce edible nuts. They are also asking anyone that finds chestnuts in the wild (e.g. recently in Connecticut) to send them nuts from those trees – they are trying to protect the genetic diversity of the species.
I find the whole thing fascinating – it would be really interesting if some local orchard would dedicate some space to growing American Chestnuts. tacf.org is a great resource.
Andy O.