Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- Chestnuts
- Red wine
- Olive oil
- Rosemary
- Broth
Preparation:
Roast 1 1/4 pounds of chestnuts (this will require a chestnut roasting pan, a skillet with holes punched through the bottom -- if you do not have one you can purchase them from a number of mail order outfits).Begin by making a cut into the round side of each chestnut to keep it from exploding. Put the chestnuts into the roaster, sprinkle them lightly with water, and cook them over brisk heat for 10-20 minutes (depending upon their size), shaking them frequently to keep them from burning. When they're done the skins will have pulled back from the nuts, and the nutmeats will be firm but fork-tender – charred spots indicate insufficient shaking. Sprinkle them with a few drops of red wine (if you want), wrap them in an old cloth, squeeze them until they crackle, and let them sit in a warm place for five minutes.
When they are done peel them and set them in a pan with a sprinkling of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few leaves of rosemary. Sauté them for a few minutes, then sprinkle them with a ladle of broth and simmer them until they are very tender, and serve.
Serving boiled meats rather than roast pork? Simmer them with good vinegar instead of broth.
