In the Kitchen with Sigona’s Featuring: Italian Chestnuts
Roasted Chestnuts
This is a fun treat to make with the kids during the holidays, or when entertaining guests for the season. Enjoy! Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. fresh chestnuts
Directions: Preheat oven to 425°F. Rinse chestnuts and pat dry. Make a crisscross slit on the domed side of the chestnuts with a thin, sharp knife.
Spread out the chestnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, crisscross side up. Roast for about 25 minutes or until the shells look as if they are about to peel off where the crisscross was made (some may need a little longer, depending on size). Cool slightly before peeling.
Roasted Chestnuts with Sage & Wild Mushroom Olive Oil
Sage is a flavor if the holiday season, and it pairs beautifully with the earthy yet sweet notes of roasted chestnuts. The wild mushroom flavor of our sage & wild mushroom olive oil is light, allowing the sage to shine through. All the flavors work well together. Inspired by Eat Your Beets. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. fresh chestnuts
- 2 Tbsp. Sigona’s Fresh Press Sage & Wild Mushroom Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped, plus more, for garnish
- Sea salt
Directions: Set a pot of 4 to 5 cups of water to boil. Meanwhile, rinse chestnuts and pat dry. Make a crisscross slit on the domed side of the chestnuts with a thin, sharp knife.
Add chestnuts to a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for 3 minutes; drain.
Place chestnuts in a large bowl; toss with olive oil, chopped sage and salt, to taste.
Add chestnuts — crisscross side up — oil and sage to a large sauté pan. Roast for about 25 minutes or until the shells look as if they are about to peel off where the crisscross was made. Sprinkle with more salt and drizzle with more oil, if desired. Garnish with fresh sage. Cool slightly before peeling.
Chestnut & Sourdough Stuffing with Cranberries, Leeks and Apple
Can’t you almost smell Thanksgiving by simply reading through the list of ingredients? Stuffing is one of those recipes you can add to or remove ingredients from to suit your taste. Don’t like mushrooms? Leave them out! This dish does take some time to prep (thanks, chestnuts), but the result is worth it. Serves about 10.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. fresh chestnuts
- 8 to 10 cups 1/2-inch-cubed sourdough bread, about 1 loaf (or choose a bread of your liking)
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 oz. sliced white mushrooms
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved, sliced and swished in water to remove grit
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 apple, diced
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary (or 1 tsp. chopped fresh)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 eggs
Directions: Begin by roasting the chestnuts. Preheat oven to 425°F. Rinse chestnuts and pat dry. Make a crisscross slit on the domed side of the chestnuts with a thin, sharp knife.
Spread out the chestnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, crisscross side up. Roast for about 25 minutes or until the shells look as if they are about to peel off where the crisscross was made (some may need a little longer, depending on size). Cool slightly before peeling. Peel and roughly chop; set aside.
Meanwhile, slice and cube the sourdough; spread out the cubes on one or two baking sheets. Pop the cubes in the oven when the chestnuts have finished roasting, for about 7 minutes, allowing them to dry a bit. Transfer cubes to a large bowl and set aside.
Lower oven to 350 degrees°F.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer, season with salt and pepper and allow them to brown, without stirring, for about 3 minutes. Stir and cook another 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Transfer mushrooms to a plate or bowl and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chestnuts, leeks, celery, apple and cranberries; season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 6 to 7 minutes or until the celery and leeks have softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Roughly chop the mushrooms and add to the skillet along with the sage, thyme, parsley and rosemary. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl then stir them into the bread cubes. To the same bowl, add the veggie and broth mixture; stir to combine.
Grease a 9×13 pan; pour the stuffing mixture into the pan and spread out evenly. Bake uncovered for about 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and most of the broth is absorbed. Serve warm.
