Chestnut Pate Food

CHESTNUT PATE

Steps:

• Grate of the vegetables.
• Blend all of the ingredients together into a find paste.
• Transfer mixture to a loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
• Cool completely before serving (:.

ROASTED CHESTNUT PATE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
• 2. Make a crosscut across the round side of each chestnut to keep them from exploding, and arrange them along with the unpeeled garlic cloves on a cookie sheet.
• 3. Roast until the skins have pulled back from the cuts and the nutmeats have softened (exactly how long will depend upon the chestnuts, about 20 minutes for small, 25 minutes for large.).
• 4. Remove the nuts from the oven, make a mound of them in an old towel, wrap them up, and squeeze them hard to release the skin. Allow to cool until you can peel them.
• 5. Peel the garlic cloves out of the skins, and sauté with the onions over medium-high heat until lightly caramelized.
• 6. Sprinkle with nutmeg and allspice and cook for 1 minute.
• 7. Crumble chestnuts into the pan mixture. Add the olive oil, vinegar and water and cook for 4 minutes or until the chestnuts are moist.
• 8. Allow to cool, then pour ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth.
• Makes 6-8 servings.

BACON-WRAPPED WATER CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Combine the water chestnuts and soy sauce in a resealable plastic bag and let marinate at room temperature, tossing and massaging the bag occasionally, for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wrap each water chestnut in a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Set a cooling rack into a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts on top. Bake until the bacon renders its fat and is crisp, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and 1/3 cup water in a bowl to make a sauce.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully lift the cooling rack off the baking sheet. Drain away any fat in the baking sheet and wipe dry with paper towels. Line the baking sheet with foil and lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully transfer the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts to the bowl with the sauce, swirling to fully coat, then spread out on the baking sheet.
• Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake, tossing every few minutes, until the sauce is reduced to a sticky glaze, about 15 minutes. Immediately transfer the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts to a warm serving platter. Sprinkle with pepper and serve while hot.

CHESTNUT, SPINACH & BLUE CHEESE EN CROûTE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the leeks and garlic, stir well, cover and cook for 10 mins until the leeks are soft, stirring a few times to check that they don't catch. Tip into a large bowl. Put the spinach in the pan and allow it to wilt. Leave to cool and, when cold, squeeze out as much liquid from it as you possibly can.
• Tip the chestnut purée into the bowl with the leeks and add the 3 eggs, the nutmeg, chestnuts, spinach, breadcrumbs, cheese and seasoning, and stir until well mixed. Chill for at least 1 hr until the mixture firms up.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a rectangle large enough to completely enclose the filling. Carefully lift onto a large, long baking tray that has been lined with baking parchment, then brush round all the edges of the pastry with the remaining egg. Spoon the filling down the centre of the length of the pastry, leaving the ends clear. Tuck the ends over the filling, then firmly lift up the sides to wrap them round, trimming away any excess pastry as you go. Brush with more egg to glaze, then make a few holes in the top so steam can escape as it cooks. Bake for 40 mins until golden and the filling is firm. Remove from the oven, brush with more glaze and bake for 10 mins more.
• To make the sauce, heat the stock in a medium pan, add the leeks, boil for 5 mins, then take off the heat and scoop out 2 tbsp of the leeks. Blitz the rest in the pan with the cornflour using a hand blender, then cook, stirring, until thickened. Pour in the cream and reserved leeks and warm through. Can be made 2 days ahead and chilled. Serve the pastry in thick slices with the sauce.

CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Fry the onion in the butter for 5 mins. Add the mushrooms, then fry for 5 mins more.
• Tip into a bowl, then lightly stir in the other ingredients with plenty of seasoning. Stuff into the neck end of the turkey, or spoon into oiled muffin tins (half-fill to make 8 servings) and bake for 30 mins alongside the turkey.

CHESTNUT MUSHROOM PATE

Steps:

• Chop the chestnut mushrooms, melt the butter and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and thyme, and sauté for 8 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked.
• Reserving the juices in case you need to add a little moisture in step three, drain the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture, and blend it with the cream cheese and fromage frais.
• Reserving some slivered almonds for garnish, process the nuts in the food processor then add them to the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture OR, if you prefer a finer, smoother paté, add the onion/garlic/mushroom to the food processor and process OR, for a more varied texture, process some of the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture with the nuts, then fold both mixtures together until they are well-combined. If the mixture becomes too dry (which is unlikely), add a little of the juice reserved in step two.
• Chill the paté for 2 hours, then scatter the reserved slivered almonds on top and serve the paté with crusty bread, pita bread, crackers or vegetable sticks. This paté is best eaten within 2 days.
• Chef's Note: Chestnut mushrooms are a closed cup mushroom with a wonderfully rich flavour. If you cannot find these, use flat field mushrooms which are always great, but may need a little more cooking.