Hot winter nuts, chestnut dishes, sweet and tasty, published in the Chef’s Handyman food blog
Chef’s Handyman Chestnut Loaf
Chestnuts are the winter highlights. They can be used for all purpose of dishes. Sweet cakes or cookies are my favorites. Hot soups for winter are unbeatable. The Swiss love sweet vermicelli desserts, which still are slow-burners over the Christmas season. There are also classical variations, like chestnuts with red cabbage, served with game dishes.
Chef’s Handyman’s favorite: Chestnut cake
To make cake, combine 315 g or 10 oz. flour, 1 tbsp. of baking powder, a dash of baking soda, 100 g or 3.5 sugar, 1 tbsp. of vanilla sugar or extract, 150 g or 5 oz. chestnut puree, 100 g margarine, 1 – 1.5 cups of soy milk, a dash of salt, orange rind and 1 tbsp. of ginger bread spices. Cut 10-12 dates into cubes. Fold them into the dough.
Prepare one cake tin of 22 cm or 9 x 3 inch with parchment paper or apply liquid margarine. Fill in the dough. Bake in oven at 180°C or 350°F for 55-65 minutes. Test with a wooden skewer if still dough is sticking, bake for another 5 minutes. When finished, cool the cake on wire rack.
Shopping list for one loaf:
Baking Ingredients: 300 g flour, 1 tbsp. baking powder, 1 hint baking soda, 100 g sugar, 1 tbsp. vanilla extract or vanilla sugar, 150 g vermicelli puree
Dried fruits: 10.12 dates
Fruits: 1 organic orange
Spices: Salt, 1 tsp. ginger bread spices
Dairy Products: 100 g margarine (vegetable), 1 – 1.5 cups soy milk
Chef’s Handyman Chestnut Soup
Chef’s Handyman tip: Chestnut soup
To make soup, cook 2 cups of vegetable stock, 200 g or 7 oz. of cooked or deep frozen chestnuts on medium heat until soft. Blend them with a hand blender. Add 1-1.5 cups of soy milk. Season the soup to taste with salt, nutmeg and black pepper. If the soup is too thick add more stock or soy milk.
Serve the chestnut soup in cups or plates. Garnish with thyme.
Shopping for 4 serves:
Stock: 2 cups of vegetable stock
Chestnuts: 200 g or 7 oz., cooked or deep frozen
Spices: Salt, black pepper, nutmeg
Soy milk: o.5-1 cup
Herbs: 1 bunch thyme
Have a great weekend, yours Chef’s Handyman team.
Outlook of the next blog entry posted in the Chef’s Handyman food blog: Sweet dreams with cookies and cakes.
