The phrase " roasted chestnuts"First of all, it evokes thoughts of Paris, although it is unusual to taste it tasty treat It is possible in many other places in the world. The Chinese eat roasted chestnuts, and have been doing this for many centuries; they were adored by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and are loved by modern Europeans, Americans and Australians. In the modern world, where many boundaries are blurred, you can buy chestnuts in a supermarket in any corner of the planet. And it’s not at all difficult to fry them at home.
It should be noted that chestnuts, which grow on the streets of many cities and greatly decorate them in the spring with their candle flowers, are a decorative variety of this plant, the fruits of which are inedible. Chestnuts, which appear in our markets and stores in the fall, grow mainly in the Caucasus, Crimea, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Chestnuts from any of these regions are good if they were collected on time and stored correctly.
High-quality chestnuts are dark brown in color, they are large, heavy (if you pick up a nut, you will definitely feel it) and shiny.
How to roast chestnuts
First, they need to be peeled from the shells (if the fruits were sold with them) and washed thoroughly, preferably with a brush. Then dry on a towel and prepare a frying pan. None additional ingredients, except for the fruits themselves, will not be needed.
For roasting chestnuts in countries where they are common, there are special frying pans. They are usually made of cast iron or its alloys with aluminum. The only difference between chestnut pans is that they have small holes in the bottom. Not as large and not in such quantity as in a colander, but still quite often located. Chestnuts are fried in such frying pans over coals, and the holes are needed so that the fruits are saturated with smoke and acquire a specific aroma. When cooking on the stove, there is no need for such a frying pan, so a regular one will do just fine. If you have the opportunity to cook chestnuts on coals, but don’t have a frying pan, then find an old aluminum frying pan and punch holes in it, then you can try real “Parisian” chestnuts, which are cooked over wood in special roasting pans.
Chestnuts must be cut before roasting to prevent them from exploding after heating. Usually make an incision with a sharp knife crosswise, then the chestnut peel will open like a flower. You can simply make a longitudinal cut in the middle with a knife or cut off the “lid” of the chestnut, but for this you need a really sharp knife. Sometimes chestnuts are simply pierced with a fork. The main thing is to damage the shell in one way or another so that steam can escape.
So, take a frying pan, preferably cast iron, but under no circumstances Teflon, put it on the fire and lay out the chestnuts. Prepare several linen (or at least cotton) napkins or towels. Soak them in water, squeeze them out and place them on top of the chestnut layer. Fry the fruits over medium heat, remembering to lift the napkins from time to time and shake the pan so that they turn over. The wipes must be moistened as they dry. To do this, either place them under running water again and squeeze them out, or spray them with water from a spray bottle.
There is a method of frying chestnuts in which wet wipes are not used, but water is poured into the frying pan, about a centimeter, and the frying pan is covered with a lid. This method is also good, but the chestnuts will not be as crispy as when using a dry frying pan and napkins. You can roast chestnuts without using moisture; in France and Italy this is usually done, but in order for the fruits not to turn out dry and hard, they must be very fresh and filled with moisture. Ideally, freshly picked from the tree. In our conditions, this is difficult to achieve, therefore, in order not to spoil the product, it is better to use the “wet” frying method.
Chestnuts are fried for an average of 20-30 minutes, the time depends on the size of the fruit, the strength of the fire, the thickness of the pan, etc. Ready chestnuts should not only open up, but also acquire crispy crust. When it appears, remove the damp towels and dry the chestnuts for a few minutes, shaking or turning occasionally. Those who prefer salted fruits can add salt to them. Chestnuts are eaten hot, peeling them with your hands.
Recipes with chestnuts
Chestnuts are good on their own, but after trying them in pure form you might want to know the taste of a variety of dishes with chestnuts. Here are some options:
- Chestnut dessert: roasted nuts cleaned and filled with chocolate or coffee sauce. You can simply melt the chocolate in a water bath.
- Soup with chestnuts. Fried or boiled chestnuts, peeled and cut into slices, are added to the soup, meat or vegetarian, along with vegetables.
- Stuffing for stuffing turkey or chicken. Chestnuts, along with apples, prunes and seasonings, are placed inside the bird, sewn up and baked.
- Stew with chestnuts. The meat is stewed in the usual way, along with onions, carrots and possibly other ingredients, chestnuts are added 15-20 minutes before readiness.
How to fry chestnuts at home, where they grow and what can be prepared from them - these are the questions asked by all gourmets who risk one day trying this wonderful nut. But thanks to its beneficial properties, the edible chestnut nut is considered popular in some European cuisines. an indispensable product, it is not only eaten in its pure form, but also cooked great dishes based on ground nut flour, and also boil, smoke and preserve it.
The easiest way to prepare chestnuts is to simply fry them, but even this seemingly simple method of cooking hides several nuances that must be taken into account in order to obtain a tasty product.
Ingredients for 4-5 persons
How to properly roast chestnuts at home?
First of all, we clean the nuts from the outer needle-like shell and make small cuts in the shell, so that excess moisture from the nut can escape from the shell, otherwise the nut will not explode during cooking. For frying, use heavy cast iron frying pan, since frying chestnuts requires heat, which can damage Teflon cookware. Place the chestnuts in one layer in a frying pan, cover with damp napkins and fry in this way for 25-30 minutes, carefully ensuring that the napkins are always damp, thereby preventing the nuts from drying out and periodically turning the chestnuts over. How to check if chestnuts are ready, try to break the shell with your hands, it should crack easily.
But chestnuts are good not only separate treat, and also as complex dish, so if you have mastered how to fry chestnuts at home, a recipe based on them will not seem difficult either. Chestnuts are good in desserts, salads and main courses, as well as in soups. Puree soup with chestnuts is a kind of business card French cuisine. This soup is prepared based on meat or vegetable broth and white wine, and despite its apparent complexity, it is easy to prepare.
Finely chop the potatoes, a couple of green leeks and place it all in a deep saucepan. Select the dishes taking into account that the rest of the ingredients should also be included. After frying finely chopped potatoes and onions in oil, add wine, pre-cooked chestnuts, and broth. Cook all this until full readiness potatoes, and a couple of minutes before removing from heat, add finely grated cheese. You can beat the soup with a mixer with a special attachment both at the cooking stage and before serving. You can decorate the soup with herbs on top.
Bon appetit!
Calorie content and composition of roasted chestnuts. Who will benefit from this dish and who may it harm? How to eat and cook it correctly.
The content of the article:
Roasted chestnut is one cooked in a special roasting pan, oven or on regular frying pan the fruit of the tree of the same name from the Beech family. The culture came to us from the south of the Balkan Peninsula. Today it grows mainly in the Mediterranean region, East Asia and on the Atlantic coast of the USA. There are many varieties of chestnut, but not all of them are edible. The most famous edible varieties are European seed, Chinese soft and Japanese or crenate. They are not grown in Russia. They require long, warm summers and not harsh winters; they grow in the countries of southern Europe, Asia and America. Chestnuts are considered nuts, and, by the way, they are eaten not only fried, but also raw. However, within the framework of this article we will talk about the calorie content, composition, benefits, dangers and use of heat-treated fruits in cooking.
Composition and calorie content of roasted chestnuts
Despite the fact that, as we mentioned above, chestnut is a nut, its calorie content is not high. This fruit is rightfully considered the only low-calorie nut.
Calorie content of roasted chestnut is 245 kcal per 100 g of product, of which:
- Proteins - 3.17 g;
- Fats - 2.2 g;
- Carbohydrates - 52.96 g;
- Dietary fiber - 5.1 g;
- Water - 40.48 g;
- Ash - 1.2 g.
- Potassium - 592 mg;
- Calcium - 29 mg;
- Magnesium - 33 mg;
- Sodium - 2 mg;
- Phosphorus - 107 mg.
- Iron - 0.91 mg;
- Manganese - 1.18 mg;
- Copper - 507 mcg;
- Selenium - 1.3 mcg;
- Zinc - 0.57 mg.
- Vitamin A, RE - 1 mcg;
- Beta carotene - 0.014 mg;
- Lutein + Zeaxanthin - 13 mcg;
- Vitamin B1 - 0.243 mg;
- Vitamin B2 - 0.175 mg;
- Vitamin B4 - 1.5 mg;
- Vitamin B5 - 0.554 mg;
- Vitamin B6 - 0.497 mg;
- Vitamin B9 - 70 mcg;
- Vitamin C - 26 mg;
- Vitamin E - 0.5 mg;
- Vitamin K - 7.8 mcg;
- Vitamin RR, NE - 1.342 mg.
- Arginine - 0.227 g;
- Valine - 0.178 g;
- Histidine - 0.088 g;
- Isoleucine - 0.125 g;
- Leucine - 0.188 g;
- Lysine - 0.188 g;
- Methionine - 0.075 g;
- Threonine - 0.113 g;
- Tryptophan - 0.035 g;
- Phenylalanine - 0.134 g.
- Omega-3 - 0.093 g;
- Omega-6 - 0.776 g;
- Saturated - 0.414 g;
- Monounsaturated - 0.759 g;
- Polyunsaturated - 0.869 g.
Health benefits of roasted chestnuts
So, as you can see, roasted chestnut has a rich composition of components beneficial to our body. At the same time, it is not as high in calories as other nuts, and therefore can be safely included in dietary ration, thus, without danger to your figure, you will get most of what you need for healthy work organism of elements.
In addition, the product is recommended for vegetarians; it contains a lot vegetable protein, which could become an excellent alternative animal. However, the nutritional value of the product is not the only benefit it brings to the body.
Let's look at the benefits of roasted chestnuts in detail:
- Beneficial effect on blood vessels. At regular use product, there is a significant improvement in the condition of blood vessels, it strengthens even small capillaries and protects against various vascular diseases. The fruits are especially good at preventing the development of varicose veins.
- Normalization of cholesterol levels in the blood. The product cleanses the blood of excess cholesterol, as well as other toxins, which makes an additional contribution to improving the condition of blood vessels and prevents thrombosis, which can cause acute heart failure.
- Improvement nervous system . Chestnut contains quite a few B vitamins, which are responsible for normal work nervous system. The product also contains vitamin B9 or folic acid - a vitamin prescribed to all pregnant women for long term, as it helps the normal development of the child's nervous system.
- Beneficial effect on bones and muscles. Phosphorus and calcium, which are part of the fruit, have a healing effect on bone tissue and muscle corset, strengthening them and promoting recovery. So for athletes who train hard, roasted chestnuts are an excellent food.
- Increasing the body's immune forces. With regular consumption of fruits, the vitamin and mineral balance is restored, which helps strengthen the immune system and increase the body's defenses.
- Normalization of work gastrointestinal tract . The fruits contain water and alimentary fiber, which help normalize the digestion process. In addition, chestnuts have a slight astringent effect, which helps get rid of intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, colitis, etc.
- Increased stamina. Another reason why roasted chestnuts can become a favorite snack for athletes is to increase the body's endurance. The substances that make up the fruit relieve ailments caused by fatigue and give strength due to their high energy value.
Note! Only edible varieties of chestnut can be eaten, since inedible varieties contain tannins in concentrations that are dangerous to humans. But for the treatment of certain diseases, inedible ones are often even more effective.
Contraindications and harms of roasted chestnuts
However, even edible fruits have contraindications. There is a very fine line between the benefits and harm of roasted chestnuts. It is very important to understand that you should not overuse this product.
Unfortunately, often girls who are on a diet and learn that chestnut is a low-calorie nut begin to eat it in considerable quantities. However, a low-calorie nut does not equal low calorie product. Still it energy value is almost 250 kilocalories, and therefore needs to be consumed in healthy quantities.
For the rest, for healthy person There are no contraindications for the use of fruits. But if you have certain health problems, it is advisable to consult a doctor before introducing the product into your diet.
People suffering from severe digestive and digestive diseases should take special care when consuming it. cardiovascular systems, as well as blood. The product is completely prohibited for diabetics and for diseases that may be accompanied by bleeding.
Allergy sufferers, pregnant and lactating women and children should carefully monitor the body's reaction when introducing chestnut into the diet. In case of individual intolerance to the components of the product, one or another unpleasant symptoms may occur.
Let's repeat it again! Not edible chestnuts Absolutely not for everyone to eat!
How to cook roasted chestnuts
In our country they are not sold on every corner, but if you travel around Europe, you have probably seen street vendors of this delicacy. Of course they don't sell it all year round, and during the ripening season, which varies depending on the region, for example, in Turkey they can be tasted as early as July, but in the Caucasus the fruits ripen only by the end of October.
On the streets they are cooked on special frying pans. However, if you happen to have raw fruits in your hands and you need to cook roasted chestnuts at home yourself, an ordinary frying pan will do just fine.
The recipe is quite simple, but let's look at it step by step:
- Cut the dark brown shell crosswise on each side - if this is not done, they will begin to “explode” during the heat treatment process.
- Place the chestnuts in the pan so that they do not turn out dry, cover them on top with a damp cotton cloth or napkin.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally and remembering to moisten the napkin with water if it is dry.
- A sign of readiness is the bursting shell.
Everyone describes the taste of roasted chestnuts very differently, some say that it is not very pronounced and is somewhat reminiscent of boiled potatoes, while others perceive distinct sweet and nutty notes.
Well, when you taste the chestnuts, you can choose additives to suit your taste, which can be very different, from salt and vegetable oil to chocolate icing. In Europe they simply love nuts in sweet sauces!
Recipes with roasted chestnuts
These fruits can also act as an ingredient in a particular dish. They are used to prepare soups, bake meat and poultry, and use them as a side dish, whole or pureed. Desserts are also prepared with chestnuts. In general, this is very universal product, and you can experiment with it in different ways, but it’s probably better to start with proven dishes.
Let's look at several options for using roasted chestnuts in recipes:
- Chestnut puree soup. Boil any meat broth(500 ml), add chopped celery (1 stalk). Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the roasted chestnuts, bring the soup to a boil, then remove from the heat, cool slightly and purée it with a blender. Heat the butter (1 tablespoon) in a frying pan and fry the flour (1 tablespoon) in it, add it to the soup. Bring it to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste. Finally, heat the cream (100 ml) and pour into the soup, bring to the boil again and remove from heat. Serve the soup with croutons.
- Pork with figs. Cut the pork (500 grams) into portioned pieces. Place in a marinade of dry white wine (250 ml), chopped garlic (2 cloves), salt and pepper (to taste). The meat should be allowed to soak in the marinade overnight, if there is no time, at least an hour. Fry on vegetable oil finely chopped onion (1 piece), add meat to it along with marinade and any meat broth (250 ml). Close the lid and simmer for an hour. Add chestnuts (2 handfuls), chopped figs (4 pieces) and orange zest(from half an orange), simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Pumpkin with chestnuts. Peel the pumpkin (700 grams), remove the seeds, cut into cubes approximately 2x2 centimeters. Finely chop the garlic (3 cloves) and coarsely chop the bacon strips (10-12 pieces). Heat butter (50 grams) in a deep frying pan, fry the bacon, add pumpkin to it and simmer for 10 minutes. Add garlic, chestnuts (20-30 pieces), thyme (a couple of sprigs) and water (2 tablespoons), simmer for another 5 minutes.
- . Mash chestnuts (80 grams) with a fork or puree in a blender (you can add a little water if the blender does not take dry ones), add cocoa (1 tablespoon), sugar (3 tablespoons), vodka (2 tablespoons) and beat until creamy. . Whisk separately heavy cream(150 ml), put them in the refrigerator. Also beat the egg whites (2 pieces) separately. thick foam. First add cold cream to the chestnuts, then the whites. Mix thoroughly, transfer the dessert into bowls and refrigerate for 2 hours. When serving, decorate with berries and fruits.
- Chestnuts in Ceven style. Heat butter (150 grams) in a frying pan, add chestnuts (600 grams) and sprinkle with sugar to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, the fruits should caramelize. This is traditional French way cooking chestnuts, in this form they are served with slices of fresh pear and... fried sausages.
In Geneva, there has been a tradition for 200 years to celebrate the onset of spring at the moment when the chestnut tree growing near the cantonal government building blooms. Most often this event happens in March, but in 2002 the tree bloomed on December 29. But this is not the most paradoxical case. Things were most interesting in 2006: the chestnut blossomed twice - first in March, and then again in October.
Despite the fact that it is the only low-calorie nut in the world, it is also the only nut that contains vitamin C.
For many, chestnuts resemble the taste of potatoes, since the fruit contains a lot of starch. For the same reason, flour is made from it, from which you can cook various pastries. In the 4th century BC, the Romans grew edible chestnuts only to bake bread from them.
The largest chestnut tree is about 3000 years old, and its trunk circumference is almost 60 cm. This tree is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
By nutritional properties The nut is very similar to rice, and therefore was previously called “rice that grows on trees.”
About 40% of the fruits of edible varieties are eaten in China; in this country, chestnuts are traditionally baked in hot sand.
On the island of Corsica, on Easter, instead of Easter cakes and eggs, chestnuts are illuminated in the church.
Chestnuts explode if you cook them without making a cut in the shell because there is moisture between the kernel and the shell, the same reason corn explodes into popcorn.
Glazed chestnuts - classic Christmas dish in France.
Watch a video about roasted chestnuts:
This amazing product, the lowest calorie nut in the world. It is very useful and opens up wide possibilities in cooking. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to buy it in our country. However, if you succeed, be sure to try roasting chestnuts and eating them separately or adding them to some dish. But first, be sure to check whether this product is contraindicated for you. And, of course, under no circumstances experiment with inedible chestnuts that grow in our country.
Not everyone knows how to cook roasted chestnuts. However, for many, the combination of these words provokes an attack of longing for Paris. Without roasted chestnuts, the French capital would lose a whole host of aesthetic tourists who would go to Austria, Abkhazia or China for the coveted fruit. The secret of preparing this dish has long been revealed, but this has not affected the popularity of the delicacy.
Nutritional value
Chestnuts are botanically classified as nuts. Accordingly, they are rich in proteins, but contain less fat (unlike peanuts or hazelnuts). It should be remembered that chestnuts contain a large number of carbohydrates, which makes dishes made from them nutritious and high in calories. These fruits contain a lot of starch, vitamins and minerals. By eating chestnuts, a person receives not only a whole cocktail of nutrients, but also gastronomic pleasure. People on a diet should also not be afraid of fruits - their calorie content is only 180 kcal (per 100 g), which is several times lower nutritional value the same nuts. Traditional morning porridge can be safely replaced with a portion of roasted chestnuts.
Roasted chestnuts recipe
Before you start creating culinary masterpiece, you should arm yourself with knowledge experienced craftsmen. The recipe for roasted chestnuts is quite simple, but some skill is required in this matter. First of all, you need to remember that not all fruits are suitable for food. Horse chestnut, which is widespread in our climate, is inedible. Only fruits of the noble variety are used for cooking. They are much smaller than their counterparts, have a heart-shaped, partly fleecy surface. “Noble” chestnuts should be washed and dried. Each fruit must be pierced with a fork or a cross-shaped cut made. Otherwise, the chestnuts will explode in the pan (in the oven), and exquisite delicacy There will be “scraps” that will have to be scraped off the walls of the oven or kitchen. The cut fruits are placed on a hot baking sheet and fried for 25 minutes (faster in a frying pan). As soon as intense crackling sounds are heard and the room is filled with a sweetish smell, the chestnuts are ready. They are sprinkled with salt or sugar and served. The fruits can also be peeled, but in their peel they look much piquant and retain their taste longer.
How else are chestnuts prepared?
The recipe for roasted chestnuts is the basics of the art of preparing delicious fruits. However, there are many other ways to “prepare” these nuts. In Italy, pies are baked from chestnuts, in Corsica - the famous polenta, in Belgium, the fruits are candied and given as a gift on the holiday of beloved ones. In France, chestnuts have become a real symbol. They are not only fried, but also boiled in milk, stewed with mint and
butter, prepare soups, purees and famous dessert"Mont Blanc". By the way, candied chestnuts were first introduced into fashion in France back in the 17th century. If you visit Paris in the fall, the sweet delicacy will be sold on every street. However, we should not forget that chestnut dishes can also be tasted in other European or Eastern cities.
The taste of roasted chestnuts, according to the lucky ones who managed to enjoy the dish, is reminiscent of sweet potatoes with a nutty note. Some, however, note that there is nothing supernatural in this dish - on the contrary, the pleasure is dubious. There is certainly no arguing about tastes. The recipe for roasted chestnuts is so simple that it will allow everyone to touch this gastronomic legend. Minor difficulties are caused only by the problem of finding the main ingredient. And an unsuccessful search can be a good reason to buy a ticket and go to Paris with serious intentions (and not just for fun).
These nuts are one of the symbols of the Christmas table in Europe. They stuff turkeys and serve them for dessert. Baked chestnuts are gaining popularity in Russia as well.
What chestnuts can you eat?
Those chestnuts that grow under our windows and bloom with candles are horse chestnuts. Their fruits are inedible. It is easy to distinguish them from the southern ones: in one box with thick thorns there is only one chestnut. And the southern ones are similar to hedgehogs, they have smaller and denser needles and several fruits in each box.
Southern noble chestnuts are sweetish, while horse chestnuts are bitter. Although they are not poisonous and even contain useful material, but you can’t eat them.
Edible chestnuts grow in Europe and the Caucasus. They come to us mainly from Azerbaijan and Armenia.
How to roast chestnuts
First, the chestnuts should be peeled from the outer shells and the membranes removed.
To cook chestnuts, you must first cut them. Moreover, you can cut crosswise, or you can simply make cuts on the side. If you don't cut the shell, the chestnut will explode when cooked.
The cuts need to be made not only for frying, but also if you are going to boil or bake nuts.
After the nuts have been cut, they need to be placed in a frying pan, but not a Teflon one. Cover with napkins moistened with water so that the chestnuts do not dry out during frying. Close the lid and fry for about 20-30 minutes. During frying, chestnuts need to be stirred a couple of times. If the napkins are dry, moisten them.
If the shell breaks and is easily removed from the nut, it means the chestnuts are ready.
What is prepared from chestnuts?
Roasted chestnuts are one of the most popular winter treats in Europe. They are topped with chocolate or other sweet sauces and served for dessert.
But not only desserts are made from these nuts. They also bake poultry and rabbit. They make puree from them as a side dish, with the addition of vegetables or solo, prepare soups...
Boiled chestnuts with coffee sauce
500 g chestnuts
For the sauce:
2 yolks
3 tbsp. powdered sugar
100 ml strong black coffee
½ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. cognac
Step 1. Cut the chestnuts and boil for about 5 minutes in boiling water.
Step 2. Peel and cook for another 20 minutes.
Step 3. Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks, add cream and cognac. Beat again. Add coffee.
Step 4. Grind the sauce with powdered sugar, to put on water bath and cook, stirring, until thickened.
Step 5. Pour the sauce over the chestnuts and serve.
Chestnut puree soup
1 handful of chestnuts, peeled
2 cups meat broth
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. butter
½ cup cream
1 stalk of celery
Salt and pepper
Toast
Step 1. Pour the chestnuts and chopped celery with broth and simmer for half an hour under the lid.
Step 2. Puree everything with a blender.
Step 3. Fry the flour in butter and add to the puree. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper.
Step 4. Add warm milk and bring to a boil again. Serve with croutons.
Pork with figs and chestnuts
500 g pork pulp
1 glass of white wine
1 cup meat broth
2 teeth garlic
1 onion
1/2 orange (zest)
2 handfuls of peeled chestnuts
4-5 pcs. figs
Step 1. Cut the pork into portioned pieces. Marinate in white wine, adding chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Leave it overnight.
Step 2. Fry the meat with onions. Add marinade and broth. Simmer for about an hour.
Step 3. Remove the zest from half an orange, add to the meat, add chestnuts and figs. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
Lamb with chestnuts
500 g lamb
300 g chestnuts
2 onions
4 tbsp. ghee
1 tbsp. flour
½ bunch of parsley
Salt
Step 1. Wash the chestnuts, cut them and cook for about 40 minutes under the lid.
Step 2. Drain the water, fill with cold water and leave. Then peel and mash.
Step 3. Cut the lamb into small pieces, place in a saucepan with a thick bottom, where you must first heat the oil, and fry until well browned.
Step 4. Add finely chopped onion. Fry a little, then add flour and half a glass of water. Stir and cover with a lid. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 5. Add chestnuts, salt and pepper and remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
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