Chestnut Stew Recipes

CORNISH HEN AND CHESTNUT STEW

Steps:

• To marinate the meat: Combine the celery, leek, carrot, onion, celery, and wine in a large bowl. Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each half-hen then secure with a toothpick or kitchen string. Put the hens in the marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
• To begin the stew: Remove the hens from the marinade and blot them dry with paper towels. Strain the marinade into a bowl and reserve. Reserve the vegetables separately.
• Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the Cornish hens on all sides, about 15 minutes per batch. Set the browned birds aside and add the reserved marinated vegetables to the pot. Turn the vegetables once or twice in the oil then sprinkle them with the flour. Cook, stirring frequently until the flour smells toasted, about 3 minutes, then add the reserved marinade. Bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the Cornish hens to the pot, cover, and braise in the oven until the hens are well-cooked, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the onions until they are just tender, about 7 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon. Add the celery to the pot and cook until it too is tender, about 3 minutes. Refresh the celery in ice water. Set the celery and onions aside.
• Finishing the stew: When the Cornish hens are ready, transfer them to a serving plate and remove the toothpicks or string.
• Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve. Pour the strained liquid into a large skillet and warm over low heat. Stir in the port, the red currant jelly and the cream. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.
• Melt the butter with the sugar in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, chestnuts and celery pieces. Glaze the vegetables, turning them over in the caramel for 2 to 5 minutes.
• To serve, spoon sauce over the Cornish hens then surround with glazed vegetables.

LAMB-AND-CHESTNUT STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a chestnut knife or a small paring knife, make an incision about 1/8 inch deep through the shell and into the flesh of each chestnut almost all the way around the circumference of the nut.Transfer to a chestnut pan or rimmed baking pan. Roast in the oven until the chestnuts are tender, about 35 minutes.Turn the oven off. Leaving the pan with the chestnuts in the oven, remove several at a time.Working quickly, place 1 chestnut in a towel, and, holding both, peel the chestnut while still hot. Remove and discard the shells and inner skin; set aside.
• Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Dredge the meat in flour, and shake off excess; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add lamb, in a single layer without crowding, and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes.Transfer lamb to a dish. Repeat browning with the remaining olive oil and meat.
• To the Dutch oven, add onions, and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add red wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Add the reserved lamb, beef stock, chestnuts, tomatoes, sage, and rosemary, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the meat is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add cranberries, and cook 2 minutes. (Proceed with step 5, and serve immediately, or let cool, refrigerate overnight, and proceed with step 5 just before serving.)
• Serve the hot polenta with the lamb-and-chestnut stew.

CHESTNUT STEW

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes and sweet potato separately until soft - about 25 minutes each.
• Meanwhile boil the chestnuts for 20 minutes in the stock.
• Sauté the rosemary, remaining vegetables, dates, yeast extract and tomatoes in the olive oil. Add this to the chestnuts and their juice (which should be mostly soaked up by now) and simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes.
• Heat the soya milk then using a hand-blender (rather than a whisk) blend it with the oil. Once the oil and soya milk are blended, blend in the lime juice (to emulsify the oil and soya milk).
• Drain the potatoes and mash them with 3 tablespoons soya milk mixture, parsley and some salt and pepper.
• Blend the remaining soya milk mixture with mustard, bouillon mix, and the garlic clove.
• Mix together the balsamic vinegar, black strap molasses, carob powder, corn flour, tomato puree, and orange juice to make a paste. Add to the chestnuts and vegetables whilst stirring over a low heat until the sauce thickens.
• Divide the mixture into six 12 cm / 4" - 5" pots then cover with a layer of mashed potato, and finally top with the 'cheesy' sauce.
• Place in a preheated oven 180°C (350°F) Gas Mark 4 for about 20 minutes until the topping goes bubbly and golden.
• Alternatively make 6 stacks of the potato coated with the sauce and grill them for 10 minutes to serve separately with the hot stew.

CHESTNUT, LENTILS AND VEGETABLE STEW

Steps:

• Pour the olive oil into a large, deep pot set over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, vegetable broth, and water; cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, pour in the tomatoes, and cook 10 to 15 minutes more. Reduce heat to low, and mix in the lentils and chestnuts; cook for 1 hour until the chestnuts soften. Pour in more water to thin the stew, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.