Chestnuts in SD

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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I want to make a chestnut-based Christmas dish this year. I usually use French savoury chestnuts (not marrons glace) from a jar, but this year I would like to use Dominican chestnuts. I have a bag of raw chestnuts and need advice on how to prepare them: boiled or roasted? For how long? The dish I want to make is a chestnut and mushroom casserole. It is delicious.

As a contingency plan I need to know where I can find the French jars of chestnuts here in Santo Domingo...

All advice and information appreciated!

Chiri
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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I should have mentioned...

Thanks Ken, I should have mentioned in my post that I have already asked Pib, and have also posted the same question in the DominicanCooking.com forum -- but I thought I'd increase my chances of a reply by asking the good citizens of the slightly less well-known but equally excellent DR1 forums as well.

In reply to the PMs, here is the recipe:

Fricot de Marrons*:

Serves 4
Cooking time 1-1.30hrs
750 g chestnuts
30g butter
6 shallots (or small red onions)
35 cl stock or water
200g mushrooms
100g green seedless olives
Herbs (bouquet garni or mixed herbs)
Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan, fry the onions till golden. Stir in the stock. Add the chestnuts, stir and season. Add the herbs and cook for 45 mins on low heat. Wash and quarter the mushrooms, add them and the olives to the pan. Cook for another 30 mins on low heat. Serve hot.

*The real, non-vegetarian version of this recipe, which originates in France (where vegetarians are met with pity and disdain) contains bacon.

When I have made this in the past I have found the cooking times to be much shorter. I now wonder whether this recipe is meant for raw chestnuts and not the preserved ones I have always used.

(DR connection: this recipe was given to me by my dear friend Anne-Marie, who once visited the Dominican Republic.)

Chiri
 
Dec 9, 2002
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An hour and a half sounds like an awful long time to cook chestnuts. I always roast them around this time of year - make a small slit on the flat side, then roast in the oven (200degC) for about 10 minutes until the skins crack. Peel whilst still warm. Delicioso!
 

stan chapman

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Nov 28, 2002
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Chestnuts

Thanks, Chiri. I'll give it a crack. Of course I'll saute some bacon & garlic & omit the onions. "If it don't bleed, it aint food." Thus spake my # 2 son in a discussion with the vegan daughters of a friend. Food fight!!! Stan.
 

jojocho

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Jul 10, 2002
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Dominican chestnuts?

Do you mean "Pan de fruta".

If so you can find them pretty much in any supermarket or buy them from the street vendors at 27 de Febrero and Lincoln.

These need to be boiled. I remember my grandmother using a pressure cooker because otherwise it would take too long.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
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Thanks all.

I will try to use the "pan de fruta" - or Dominican chestnuts - I bought and will boil them as jojocho suggests.

I have a jar of French chestnuts (from Carrefour, tres cher) standing by in case the pan de fruta taste too different. I remember eating them once (not sure if they were roasted or boiled) and they tasted almost exactly but not quite like chestnuts.

I'll let you know the outcome.

Bon appetit et joyeux noel a tous mes amis...

Chiri
 

stan chapman

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Nov 28, 2002
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oops!

Chirimoya said:
Thanks all.

I will try to use the "pan de fruta" - or Dominican chestnuts - I bought and will boil them as jojocho suggests.

I have a jar of French chestnuts (from Carrefour, tres cher) standing by in case the pan de fruta taste too different. I remember eating them once (not sure if they were roasted or boiled) and they tasted almost exactly but not quite like chestnuts.

I'll let you know the outcome.

Bon appetit et joyeux noel a tous mes amis...

Chiri
Not quite sure what happened here. Sorry guys. Stan.
 
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