It's December! It's actually December guys! This can mean only one thing...it's officially time to get started on whipping up some good old-fashioned Christmas cheer.
I don't know about you but I have a few foodie staples that I have to at least try and make at this time of year- otherwise I find I get to June and suddenly I'll start having random, intense cravings for all the mincemeat (of the fruity variety) and Bailey's hot chocolate I missed out on at Christmastime.
So, to prevent such a catastrophe, I like to make sure I've got all the staples covered...and one of those staples always has to be roast chestnuts.
The taste of roast chestnuts always reminds me of a holiday in France a good few years back when, as a family, we (yes, we actually did this) sat round an open fire and roasted fresh chestnuts on a shovel. It was just before Christmas and I promise you, I have never felt more like a living Christmas card in my entire life!
But it was, of course, an unbelievably perfect way to start the holidays and now I can't have a Christmas without, at some point, eating my weight in chestnuts...
So, if you'd like to make a dish of these festive nuts (!) for yourself, you will need:
* 800g unshelled chestnuts
* 3 sprigs of rosemary
* 100g butter
* 2 teaspoons of salt
* 2 teaspoons of fresh black pepper
1. Preheat your oven to around 220c/425f and place a large sheet of foil on a baking tray.
2. Place the chestnuts, flat side down, on a work surface and carefully score an 'x' on the rounded side of each nut.
3. Soak the scored chestnuts in a bowl of hot water for a minute (to help them steam whilst they're roasting) and then drain and pat them dry before placing them into a bowl.
4. Add the rosemary, butter, salt and pepper on top of the chestnuts and toss everything together. It will feel like there is a lot of butter going in with these guys but don't panic! It will all melt in the oven, I promise you!
5. Arrange the chestnuts in a single layer on the centre of your pre-prepared baking tray and gather up the edges of the foil around the chestnuts, leaving a large gap at the top.
6. Roast in the oven until the peel begins to curl up and the chestnuts are cooked through. This should take around 30-45 minutes.
7. Transfer the chestnuts to a dish, scraping off and adding any yummy seasoning stuck to the foil as you do, then toss everything together once more. Add extra salt and pepper to taste, and then serve!
Do you have a certain Christmas treat that you absolutely have to rustle up at this time of year? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!
In the meantime,
All the love,
Sian x
So good! I love to eat them but never tried to make it myself. Thanks for sharing.
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