All About Chestnut

Chestnuts have a long history of cultivation in Europe. During Roman times was chestnut basis of a vital economy in the Mediterranean and in rural and "Gathering chestnuts" mountainous areas in southern Europe. Chestnuts were a reliable source of food. For several hundred years, it was southern Europe in areas such as the Italian and Swiss Alps, known as "Chestnut Civilization."

Chestnut was called "bread tree." Cultivated forms of chestnuts covered hundreds of varieties selected for specific qualities for use as candying, frying, boiling, drying, flour and butter. The original habitat Chestnut extended throughout the northern hemisphere and in China, Korea, Japan, southern Europe and North America. Throughout the eastern half of the U.S. was once covered with wild chestnut trees.

American Indian presented at Chestnut as a dietary staple. And during the colonization of America, the native chestnut was the premier wood supply wood for railroad ties, house framing, barns, fences and fuel. The American Chestnut was an important source of tannin for leather processing. Naturally also the American Chestnut provided very tasty nuts to eat. Chestnut trees were once so numerous along the eastern forests in the U.S. who said that a squirrel could jump from chestnut to chestnut all the way from Georgia to New York without ever touching the ground. American Chestnuts served as year-round food source for humans and animals.

Chestnuts have a remarkable nutritional composition, which distinguishes them from other nuts and makes them a good food source, there may be a dietary staple. The nuts are about 50% of fresh water, which makes them highly perishable. They contain complex carbohydrates, is very low fat content of around 1%, have reasonable amounts of vitamin C and potassium are very low in sodium and are free of gluten, oil and cholesterol. The protein is of high quality and is easily assimilated by the human body.

The American chestnut was one of the most important trees in the eastern hardwood forests until the late nineteenth century, up to 25 percent of the forest. It was used for virtually everything - telegraph poles, railroad ties, heavy construction, shingles, paneling, fine furniture, musical instruments and even pulp and plywood. Additionally, the chestnut America's largest source of tannin for tanning leather. But by 1950, the chestnut was essentially eliminated as a forest tree in North America, has succumbed to the scourge of chestnut (apparently brought in from oriental varieties of chestnuts), at the end of the 1800th Work is now to reintroduce a number of disease-resistant American Chestnut.

Chestnut Selection and Storage:

Chestnut Selection:

Harvested from October to March, December is the prime months for fresh chestnuts. If you can not find them fresh, you can take advantage of chestnuts canned, pureed, or preserved in sugar or syrup (marron glace).

Some specialty markets also carry frozen shelled and peeled Italian chestnuts. Canned chestnuts can be either sweetened or unsweetened, and is usually imported from France, which makes them a bit pricey.

Choose fresh nuts that are smooth and shiny, free of blemishes. They should feel heavy for their size. Avoid any that are shriveled, cracked, or rattle in their shell. Shake the tank. If you hear movement, you know they are drying out.

Fresh chestnuts will dry out easily, so keep them in a cool, dry place, free from drafts, and use within 1 week. Fresh nuts in the shell can be placed in a perforated plastic bag and stored in sharper drawer in the refrigerator up to 1 month depending on the freshness factor when you buy them. Fresh chestnuts can be frozen whole in their shells up to 4 months.

Chestnut Storage:

Peeled and cooked nuts should be covered, refrigerated and used within three to four days. Cooked chestnuts, whole, chopped or pureed, can be frozen in an airtight container and stored for up to 9 months.

Dried chestnuts are slightly sweeter and less flour in texture than freshly fried, but not so tasteful. The dried form is reconstituted by soaking in water before use in equal amounts of freshly them. Soak them as you would dry beans for about an hour before cooking. Dried chestnuts are also stored like dried leguminous vegetables, free of moisture and air tight. Under proper storage conditions, they can last up to 2 months or freeze up to 6 months in a sealed container or bag.

Chestnut flour, usually sold only in autumn and winter because of its short shelf life, is also available, but remember it is quite strong in taste. Apart from the specialized courts, it is best combined with other flours for cookies and cakes. Large chestnut flour in a sealed container in a cool, dry place and use within 1 month.

Chestnut Cooking Tips:

To facilitate the removal of the shell, use a sharp pointed knife to cut either horizontally or slash a large X along the flat side before frying or boiling.

I boil, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for three minutes. Remove from heat. Scoop a few at a time and peel the shell and skin with a sharp knife. As they cooled, they become harder to peel, so keep them in hot water until you're ready to peel. Proceed with your recipe using the peeled nuts, and make sure you finish cooking them completely in your recipe.

I boil and boil them whole in their skins, and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, then peel and use, but do not be disappointed if they fall down as you peel them. This method of boiling water to fully cook chestnuts is best used when you mash the chestnuts or push them through a sieve to puree.

To roast chestnuts, as described above makes the cut. They can potentially explode from internal pressure if not pierced. Place on a baking sheet in a 400 degree F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

To roast in a fire, an aluminum pie plate and punch rows of holes take. Make cuts in chestnut, or prick them to release steam and place on a grill over white hot coals. If you have a chestnut roaster for the fireplace, the better.

Chestnuts works well in savory dishes and sweet to them. They are often used as a substitute for potatoes or pasta in Europe because of their high starch content. Mashed potatoes or whole braised chestnuts are good partners with sweet potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, sprouts and cabbage. But most Americans use them in stuffing and desserts.

You will find many recipes to try in chestnut recipe collection, including standard stuffing and dessert offerings and innovative new uses for chestnuts. Get the most out of the chestnuts while you can get them fresh, but you can also use canned whole chestnuts or chestnut puree in most recipes, fresh when it is out of season.

Raw Chestnuts:

Chestnut fruit from trees takes some work to get to the nut itself. The nuts are encased in a spikey shells cabinet, with two to three nuts for each stinging Burr. When ripe, the fruit falls to the ground and then fired the shells to get to the thin, smooth-shelled nuts.

Although we refer to them as nuts, meat inside is soft and starchy, more akin to corn instead of crisp as traditional nuts. It is the only nut primarily treated as a vegetable because of its starch content.

The European varieties are a bit larger in size than the native American variety. Horse Chestnuts (generally regarded as inedible) and water chestnuts are completely different species.

You will most likely be buying chestnuts already separated from the outer husk.

Beware Raw Chestnuts:

If you are tempted to eat chestnuts raw, think again. These nuts must be boiled or fried before eating because of the high levels of tannins. The nuts are cured for about a week to make their starch to turn into sugar, and thus neutralize the meat. They must be cooked completely to avoid digestive system discomfort.

The outer thin shell, as well as inner bitter brown skin is removed before eating. Removing the skin in raw mode is almost impossible, but with patience, the outer shell is removed from the raw nuts. It is much easier and recommended to blanch or cook fresh chestnuts before removal of the shell and skin.

Chestnut Measures, Equivalents and Substitutions:

Get the most out of the chestnuts while you can get them fresh, but you can also use canned whole chestnuts or chestnut puree in most recipes when they are out of season.

• 1 pound Shell = approximately 35 to 40 chestnuts

• 1 pound shelled, peeled = about 2-1/2 cups

• 1 cup cooked dried = 1 cup cooked fresh

• 1-1/2 pounds of shell = 1 pound shelled

• 8.25 ounces canned puree = 1 cup

• 1 pound shelled, peeled, cooked = 1 cup of puree

• 3 ounce dried = 1 cup fresh