13 December 2008

Portuguese Chestnuts



In Portugal, Chestnuts are typical during fall and winter.
This sweet Chestnuts you can see in the picture are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the nuts this trees produce.
In USA they´re called "Spanish Chestnut" and in Portugal "Castanhas".
We use this type of nuts in cakes, soups (north region) and meat dishes. We also have them boiled with aniz herbs, roasted with salt, dried (Castanhas Piladas) or just plain.
In Portugual you can find plenty of this trees in north region, where the weather is colder. Portuguese Chestnuts are really sweet and, like sweet potatoes, they´re very good to use both in pastry and main courses.
A good Sunday.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like roasted chestnuts!

Think With Your Taste Buds - Chicken said...

How do you roast chestnuts? Can they be done in the oven and if so how?
Martha

Rachel said...

I always roast them on a baking tray on top of my log burning stove - just in their shells. I assume that you could just put them in the oven. I just stab them and then you know they are done when the shell blackens and starts to open up around the split.

Mizé said...

Hi!
Thanks all for commenting.

My Bug Life: Me too! Specially when they´re still warm. Yumie!
xx

Mizé said...

Martha:
I always buy them already roasted, from street sellers, thy only use salt.
You gave me an idea, I will post a pic about them in my next post.
I never tried the oven. If you do, make like Rachel said, stab them and use a layer of salt in the tray.
Regards.

Mizé said...

Hi Rachel!
Thanks for commenting.
Ah you like them too. I love when they´re still hot.
I guess the oven works, but like I never tried it.
xx