chestnuts

A classic Christmas combination – and it counts as two of your 5-a-day

Brussels sprouts with bacon &amp; chestnuts

¼kg Brussels sprouts,trimmed (or if buying pre-trimmed, buy 1 kg)

rashers smoked streaky bacon,cut into bite-sized pieces (or use more, if you like)

vacuum-packed chestnuts

butter

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then tip in 1 ¼ kg trimmed Brussels sprouts. Once back to the boil, cook for 5 mins. Drain, run under the cold tap until cold, then drain again.

Heat a large frying pan, add 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces, and gently fry for 10 mins until crisp and golden.

Tip out of the pan, leaving the fat behind, then add 200g chestnuts and fry over a high heat for about 5 mins until tinged. Tip out of the pan.

Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan with a splash of water, then cover and finish cooking over a medium heat for about 5 mins, stirring now and again, until just tender.

Uncover, turn up the heat, then add most of the 50g butter and sauté the sprouts for 2 mins more.

Tip in the bacon and chestnuts, season generously with salt and pepper, then serve with the last knob of butter on top.

This is a seriously satisfying risotto packed with fresh herbs, mushrooms and delicious brie.

Creamy brie and mushroom risotto

olive oil

unsalted butter

leeks, finely chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

rosemary

(295 grams) arborio rice

milliliters white wine

(750 milliliters) Massel vegetable liquid stock, heated

milliliters pure (thin) cream

chestnut mushrooms

brie, torn

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Forget fiddly stuffing balls, this clever roll tastes delicious, plus its practical shape makes it ultra-simple to slice

Chestnut & cranberry roll

onion, finely chopped

Bramley apples, approx 140/5 ounces each, peeled

x 450 grams/1lb packs good-quality pork sausage

parsley, leaves

sage, leaves

thyme, leaves

white breadcrumb

cranberry

rashers streaky bacon

butter,

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then gently fry the onion for 5 mins until softened. Finely chop the apples either by hand or in a food processor.

Squeeze the sausagemeat from the sausages into a large bowl, then add all the other ingredients, except the cranberries and streaky bacon. Season generously, then get your hands in and mix well. Weigh out 450g of the stuffing and mix a handful of the cranberries into it. Use to stuff the neck of the turkey (see 'Goes well with').

To assemble, butter and season a large sheet of foil. Stretch out the bacon rashers slightly with the back of a kitchen knife, then overlap 12 rashers on the foil. Spoon half of the stuffing mix evenly over the bacon, leaving a border of about 3cm. Scatter with half the cranberries, then pat them in. Tuck the long edges of the bacon over the stuffing; then, using the foil to help, roll the stuffing up into a log shape. Repeat to make a second roll.

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the foil-wrapped rolls onto a roasting tin and roast for 45 mins. Unwrap, draining off any juice, then finish roasting for 15 mins until the bacon is crisp.

Impress veggie guests this Christmas with these butternut squash and chestnut puff pastry crackers. Serve with vegetarian gravy and plenty of trimmings

Squash & chestnut crackers

onion

butternut squash

marsala

sage

prunes

tbsp red onion chutney or relish

soft white breadcrumbs

puff pastry

plain flour

strong hard cheese

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan. Fry the onion and squash for 15 mins until the onion is golden and caramelised, and the squash is tender. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 8-10 mins until the water given off has evaporated. Pour in the marsala and bubble for 2-3 mins until it disappears. Stir in the chestnuts, sage, prunes, relish and breadcrumbs, and season well. Leave to cool.

Unravel one of the pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface and cut a 2cm-wide strip from one of the long sides of the pastry. Reserve this to decorate. Cut the remaining pastry into four long rectangles – these will be your cracker bases. Cut the remaining pastry sheet into four and chill all the pastry on a lined baking sheet for 15 mins.

Stir the cheese into the cooled filling, then divide the mixture into four portions. Mould into sausages and position on the pastry bases, leaving lots of room for what will be the scrunched ends of the crackers.

Brush the exposed pastry around the filling with the beaten egg and drape over the larger pastry tops, sealing the pastry all around the filling. Trim, if you need to, and pinch in the ends to create the Christmas cracker shape. Press the ends with a fork, trimming again, if you need to, then glaze with more of the beaten egg. Chill for 30 mins or up to 24 hrs. Use the reserved pastry to create stars or Christmas trees, or whatever you fancy to decorate the crackers.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Glaze with more beaten egg and bake for 35-40 mins until golden and puffed. Serve with veggie gravy and plenty of trimmings.

This rich, gluten-free cake makes a perfect dinner-party dessert

Chestnut truffle cake

cooked chestnut

caster sugar

dark chocolate

tbsp milk

tsp vanilla extract

cognac

dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids

tbsp single cream

icing sugar

Put the chestnuts in the food processor with the sugar, then process until fairly smooth. Put the butter and chocolate in a pan with the milk, then gently heat, stirring, until they have melted to a smooth sauce. Stir in the vanilla and cognac. Add to the chestnut mix in the food processor, then whizz again until fairly smooth.

Line a lightly buttered small loaf tin with cling film, then pour in the chestnut truffle mix. Smooth the top, then cover the tin with cling film. Chill for 24 hrs.

To serve, turn the truffle cake out onto a flat plate or board. Peel off the cling film. Gently melt the chocolate, butter and cream for the topping, then spread over the top and sides of the cake. Return to the fridge to set. Will keep in the fridge for another 6 days. Decorate with a dusting of icing sugar. Serve cut into thin slices with a little single cream poured around (cold vanilla custard is also very good).

There is no set recipe for this thick Italian soup – it’s usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. I use a mix of greens, but you could just use savoy cabbage. I love borlotti beans in this recipe, as they add a slightly sweet taste and creamy texture to this easy minestrone recipe, says Jamie.

Minestrone soup recipe by Jamie Oliver

rashers (140 grams) streaky bacon, finely chopped

onions, chopped

carrots, chopped

celery stalks, trimmed, chopped

butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped

tbs finely chopped rosemary leaves

sage,

vacuum-packed chestnuts (from delis

can chopped tomatoes (we used Woolworths Macro)

can borlotti beans, rinsed, drained

1.5L (6 cups) vegetable stock

seasonal greens (we used savoy cabbage, kale

wholemeal pasta

Basil leaves, to serve

Extra virgin olive oil,

Crusty bread, to serve

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If you need a vegetarian main for your Christmas dinner. Look no further! This layered cake of butternut squash, potato and fresh sage stuffed with a cranberry and chestnut stuffing looks impressive and tastes delicious

Squash, sage and chestnut layer cake

onions,

red chilli, finely chopped

tsp cumin

½ a small bunch chopped sage

floury potatoes, peeled

butternut squash, peeled

milliliters crème fraîche

cheddar, grated

dried cranberries

vegetable stock

onions, grated

vac-pack chestnuts, chopped

fresh white breadcrumbs

Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. To make the stuffing, put the cranberries in a bowl and pour over the vegetable stock. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.

Put the grated onion in a pan with the butter and cook until the onion is softened. Stir in the chestnuts, breadcrumbs, parsley, cranberries and stock, mix well and season.

Heat a large knob of butter in a pan and cook the sliced onion for about 20-30 minutes, or until completely soft and golden. Add the chilli, cumin and sage and cook for a minute. Slice the potatoes and squash separately in a food processor or with a mandolin. Melt another knob of butter and brush the inside of a 20cm non-stick springform cake tin.

Line the bottom of the tin with an overlapping layer of squash (this will be your top when you turn it out, so make it pretty). Divide the rest of the squash into 2 and add half of it, tucking some of the sliced sage and onion mix between. Add half the stuffing and pack it down lightly. Add all the sliced potato, layering it with more onion and sage mix. Repeat the layering with the rest of the squash and stuffing mix. Cover with foil, put on a baking tray and bake for 2 hours, or until tender. Leave to sit for 10 minutes before turning it out.

Put the crème fraîche and cheddar in a pan and melt them together. Stir in the sage and season. Serve with the cake and a green salad.

A restaurant-quality dish by Gordon Ramsay made using easily found ingredients

Pan-fried duck breast with creamed cabbage, chestnuts & caramelised pear

duck breasts

garlic

thyme

tsp white wine vinegar

celeriac

smoked bacon

thyme leaf

Savoy cabbage

double cream

cooked chestnut pieces, sliced

pear

star anise

tbsp icing sugar

tsp balsamic vinegar

Lightly score the skin of the duck breasts, then season well. Place a non-stick pan over a medium heat, then lay the duck in the pan, skin-side down. Cook until the fat starts to come from the duck, then add the garlic and thyme. Turn down the heat, then continue to cook for 15-20 mins, depending on the size of the duck breast, until the skin is really crisp and brown. As it cooks, pour the fat into a large pan for the cabbage.

Flip the duck over, cook on the flesh side for 3 mins until browned, then turn off the heat (this will result in meat that is pink in the middle - cook for a few minutes longer if you like it well done). Leave the duck in the pan to rest.

While the duck cooks, heat 1 tbsp of its fat in the other pan. Add the celeriac and bacon, then gently fry for 5 mins until the celeriac has browned and the bacon starts to crisp. Add the thyme, then the cabbage. Fry the cabbage for 5 mins until it starts to wilt. Add 100ml water and simmer for 5 mins until the water has evaporated and the celeriac is soft. Pour in the cream, stir to coat, then add the chestnuts and heat through. This can be done up to a day ahead - cook the celeriac in 1 tbsp vegetable oil instead of the duck fat and reheat with an extra splash of cream before serving.

Cut the pear in half and use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop out the core. Place a star anise in the cavity of each half.

Place 3 tbsp of the icing sugar in a non-stick pan and heat to make a light amber caramel. Pour in the vinegar and bubble to make a sticky syrup. Dust the pear halves heavily with the rest of the icing sugar, then place the pan back on the heat. Cook the pear for 10 mins until brown and caramelised all over. This can be done up to a day ahead and reheated, adding a splash of water.

To serve, slice each duck breast lengthways and dress the watercress in the olive oil and vinegar. Spoon a neat mound of cabbage on one side of each plate. Place a pear half, cut-side up, on the opposite side of the plate and drizzle the sticky sauce around it. Place the outside slices of duck breast on the cabbage and fan the rest of the duck over. Scatter the dressed watercress sprigs around the sides of the plates and serve.

Handmade agnolotti are filled with a chestnut pur&eacute;e then covered in a rich cream sauce&mdash;all garnished with shaved black truffles, of course.

Chestnut Agnolotti Recipe

eggs

all-purpose flour

salt

chestnuts, cooked

heavy cream, divided

Kosher salt,

egg, beaten, for egg wash

celery stalks, diced small

(10-ounce) leek—greens discarded,

celeriac,

celery seeds

milk

heavy cream

lemon juice

salt and black pepper

Celery leaves,

Chervil pluches,

black truffles,

Make the pasta dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, yolks and olive oil. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix together the flour and salt. Add the egg mixture to the flour and knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, form into a round ball, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour.

While the dough rests, make the chestnut filling: In a small saucepan, add the chestnuts, 2 cups heavy cream and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.

Transfer the chestnut mixture to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth while gradually adding the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream. The purée should be thin enough that the blades of the blender don't stick. Season to taste with salt, transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly over the purée and allow to cool completely. Transfer the purée to a piping bag and set aside.

Divide the pasta dough in half and cover the half not being used with a towel to prevent it from drying out. Roll out the first half of the dough into a sheet that's 20 inches by 8 inches by ⅛ inch. Cut the pasta sheet in half lengthwise and pipe a ½-inch-thick strip of filling lengthwise down the middle of the pasta. Brush the top half of the pasta with the egg wash, then pull the bottom half over the filling and press lightly onto the top half of the strip to seal. Using your fingers, press down on the filled section of the pasta to form 1-inch-long pieces of agnolotti. Make sure that there is no filling in between each pasta indent, then using a fluted piecrust cutter, cut the pieces of agnolotti. Transfer the agnolotti to a lightly floured, parchment-lined sheet pan, sprinkle with flour and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water comes to a boil, make your sauce. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery and leeks, and sweat for 10 minutes. Add the celeriac and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the celery seeds, milk and heavy cream; bring to a simmer, then reduce to low and cook for 15 minutes.

While the milk and cream are reducing, add your pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Strain the pasta and add the pasta sauce to the pot. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with celery leaves, chervil and shaved black truffles, then serve.

Chestnut Preserve (candied chestnuts) or Marrons Glacés, are a wonderful winter treat and a perfect gift during Christmas or other occasions.

Chestnut Preserve (Glyko Kastano) and Marrons Glacés

chestnuts, boiled,

sugar

water

cinnamon

cloves

lemon Peel

Boil and shell chestnuts. See how to peel...

Boil and shell chestnuts. See how to peel and boil chestnuts.

Prepare the syrup. Put the sugar (honey), water,...

Prepare the syrup. Put the sugar (honey), water, spices and lemon peel in a pot.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 5...

Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes and remove from the heat. 

If honey is added to the syrup, it...

If honey is added to the syrup, it will form some foam on top, which you can skim off if you like but don’t worry about this as it will dissolve and the syrup will become clear again.

Place the chestnuts in the syrup and let...

Place the chestnuts in the syrup and let them sit in the syrup overnight.

Next day bring to a boil and simmer...

Next day bring to a boil and simmer them for 5 minutes.

Repeat for two more days.

Remove the chestnuts in a colander and put...

Remove the chestnuts in a colander and put the drained syrup back into the pot.

Boil until the syrup thickens. When it reaches the...

Boil until the syrup thickens. When it reaches the right consistency (105o C) put the chestnuts back in the syrup and turn off the heat.

Bring them to one final boil, cook for...

Bring them to one final boil, cook for 1 minute and add the lemon juice.

Discard the cinnamon, cloves and lemon peel and...

Discard the cinnamon, cloves and lemon peel and store in sterilized jars

To make Marrons Glacés put them in a...

To make Marrons Glacés put them in a colander to drain excess syrup.

Then put them on a baking tray lined...

Then put them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to 150oC and when warm...

Preheat the oven to 150oC and when warm enough, turn off the oven.

Put the tray inside and stick a prop...

Put the tray inside and stick a prop to leave the door slightly open..  Leave them in the oven until it cools.

If they have not dried, repeat one more...

If they have not dried, repeat one more time.

Top 17 chestnuts recipes from across the web

The most viewed chestnuts recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Brussels sprouts with bacon & c...

Creamy brie and mushroom risotto

Chestnut & cranberry roll

Squash & chestnut crackers

Chestnut truffle cake

Minestrone soup recipe by Jamie Oli...

Squash, sage and chestnut layer cak...

Pan-fried duck breast with creamed ...

Chestnut Agnolotti Recipe

Chestnut Preserve (Glyko Kastano) a...

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Bubble and squeak

Daifuku

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Kabocha Squash and Chestnut Soup wi...

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Roasted Chestnuts (Castagne)

Top 17 chestnuts recipes from across the web

The most viewed chestnuts recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Brussels sprouts with bacon &amp; c...

Creamy brie and mushroom risotto

Chestnut & cranberry roll

Squash & chestnut crackers

Chestnut truffle cake

Minestrone soup recipe by Jamie Oli...

Squash, sage and chestnut layer cak...

Pan-fried duck breast with creamed ...

Chestnut Agnolotti Recipe

Chestnut Preserve (Glyko Kastano) a...

Roast chestnuts

Bubble and squeak

Daifuku

Chinese Fried Chestnuts With Honey ...

Kabocha Squash and Chestnut Soup wi...

Oven Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted Chestnuts (Castagne)

The most viewed chestnuts recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Brussels sprouts with bacon & c...