Roasted Chestnut Pate Food

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.

OVEN-ROASTED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp paring knife or a chestnut knife, score each chestnut; either make an "x" on one side of nut, or make one long slit crosswise. Place chestnuts in a single layer on a baking pan, and bake until flesh is tender and golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Using a clean kitchen towel, immediately peel shells. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 1 week.

ROASTED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Cut a 1/2 inch crisscross on the flat side of each nut. Be sure to cut through the shell to prevent the nut from exploding.
• Place the nuts in a shallow baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Allow to cool and peel off the shell.
• Place nuts in a skillet with butter and saute over high heat until the butter is melted and the chestnuts are well coated. Place skillet in oven and roast until they are golden on top. Sprinkle with salt and cinnamon.

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 (:.

ROAST CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put each chestnut flat-side down on a chopping board. Hold the chestnut carefully and, using a sharp knife, cut a long slit or a cross in the top. Make sure you cut through the shell but not the nut inside. The shell is tough and flexible like a skin rather than rock hard like other nut shells, so a small kitchen knife works well.
• Tip the nuts onto a baking sheet or into a roasting tin and arrange them cut-side up. Roast for 30 mins. The cuts should open up and the shell will start to peel back.
• Leave the nuts in the tin to cool down to warm - they will be very hot inside. Put a board on top of the tin while they cool to trap the steam and make them easier to peel. Serve as they are for people to peel, or peel them yourself to use in a recipe.
• If you peel them, you may want to remove the inner, slightly fluffy, membrane as well. If the membrane is difficult to get off (it shouldn't be if you steam them as they cool), you can soak the nuts in boiling water for a minute to loosen. Drain and peel.

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.