Chieftain^® Wild Rice Company

CHESTNUTS, WHOLE

Description:

Chestnuts date back to prehistoric times. Wild chestnuts are common all over S. Europe, especially Italy, Corsica, S France and Spain. The Chestnut tree can live up to five hundred years and usually does not begin to product fruit until close to forty years old.  Chestnuts are the fruit from the Chestnut tree and these nuts are encased in a spikey husk enclosure.  In Autumn the burr splits open allowing the Chestnuts to fall to the ground.  Shelled of the husk the thin, smooth-shelled nut is exposed.  Inside the nut, the meat is soft and starchy containing twice as much starch as potatoes!  Chestnuts are given to the poor as a symbol of sustenance on the Feast of St. Martin and are also traditionally eaten on St. Simon's Day in Tuscany. Chestnuts are a versatile ingredient that may be cooking in a variety of ways- boiled, roasted, steamed or pureed.

Suggested Use:
Chestnuts are often used in stuffings for poultry but can be used for both sweet and savory dishes.  Mushroom penne with Chestnuts, venison with Chestnuts, Chestnut and red wine pate, Chestnut and rice soup, pheasant with Chestnuts or Chestnut loaf are just a few recipes that use Chestnuts with main entrees.