Chestnut Purée Food

CHESTNUT PUREE

Steps:

• Combine chestnuts, milk, and salt in a saucepan. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan, and toss in pod. Bring to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until chestnuts are very soft and all but about 1/2 cup of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving chestnuts and cooking liquid separately and discarding vanilla pod. Process chestnuts in a food processor until very smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid (and additional milk if needed), 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is the consistency of a thick spread. Pour through a large-mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

CHESTNUT-POTATO PUREE

Steps:

• Place the chestnuts in a large saucepot and fill with water. Season generously with salt and bring the pot to a boil. Add the potatoes and continue to boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Drain the cooked potato-chestnut mixture and return to the pot. Add the hot cream and cold butter and stir vigorously until combined. Check the seasoning; add salt, if needed. If the mixture is a little stiff, add more cream and butter until it reaches the desired consistency. Place in a serving bowl and cover with foil until ready to serve.

CHESTNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Combine the crackers, butter and heaped tablespoon chestnut purée in a food processor and pulse fine and crumbly. Press into the bottom of a 9-in springform pan and refrigerate until needed.
• Beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the sugar. Blend in the eggs and egg yolks, one by one to combine completely. Add the sour cream, lime juice, rum, and vanilla, and beat again until smooth and creamy. Fold in the 1 cup chestnut purée by hand. It doesn't have to be fully incorporated, because it will give it a swirl or streak effect.
• Boil some water and keep it ready.
• Wrap the whole outside of the springform pan with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil, covering the plastic wrap to make the pan watertight. Stand the pan in a roasting pan and pour in the chestnut filling. Once that's done, pour the boiled water into the roasting pan to come just over an inch up the side of the pan. Bake 1 hour.
• The cheesecake should be just set because it will continue cooking in the pan outside of the oven. Take the springform pan out of the roasting pan and the foil and plastic wrap and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate overnight.
• Unmold it and let it come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. (You can unmold it and return it to the refrigerator, just remember to bring it back to room temp in time.).
• Combine the remaining ingredients (water, rum, chestnut puree, sugar, and butter) in a saucepan and melt together. Let the syrup boil 10 minutes, then cool to room temperature until ready to use.
• To serve, drizzle room temperature or slightly warmed syrup over cheesecake.

PURéE DE CHâTAIGNES (CHESTNUT PURéE)

Steps:

• Tip the chestnuts into a saucepan with the milk and thyme. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10-15 mins. The chestnuts are ready when they start to fall apart slightly when pricked with a fork.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan and fry the shallots over a medium heat until softened.
• Remove the thyme from the chestnuts and discard. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chestnuts to a food processor, then pour in 100ml of the poaching milk, reserving the rest. Add the fried shallots and crème fraîche, then blitz to a thick purée, adding more of the reserved poaching milk to loosen if needed. Season with salt and some white pepper to taste. To freeze, leave to cool fully, then seal in an airtight container and freeze for three weeks.
• Tip the purée back into the saucepan and cover to keep warm until you're ready to serve. If the purée needs reheating, add a splash of the reserved poaching milk and warm through over a low heat.

CHESTNUT AND GARLIC PUREE

Steps:

• Slowly simmer the garlic in the broth until tender. Puree garlic and broth with chestnut puree in food processor. Reheat puree in a double boiler, season to taste with salt and pepper and whisk in heavy cream if you wish.

CHESTNUT PUREE

Steps:

• Shell the chestnuts by making a shallow incision ONLY in the round portion of each nut.
• Put chestnuts on a baking sheet in a very small amount of water and bake at 240 degrees C for 7 to 8 mins; set aside to cool.
• Remove nuts from shells.
• Place the chestnuts, milk and vanilla bean in a saucepan and heat to simmering.
• Simmer until all liquid has evaporated and chestnuts are tender.
• Rub the chestnuts through a sieve to puree.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Add Cognac or Brandy and blend until smooth.