Brussels sprouts and chestnuts
Prep Time: 30 minutes total
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Keywords: bake boil side dish gluten-free vegetarian chestnuts Brussels sprouts
Ingredients (serves 2-3)
- 250 g / 9 oz. chestnuts
- 500 g / 1 lb. 2 oz. Brussels sprouts
- A small bay leaf
- Olive oil
- 40 g / 1/3 cup / 1 1/2 oz. raisins
- Ground nutmeg
- Sea salt
Instructions
How to cook the chestnutsWith a pointed blade, make a slit in the shell without cutting through the meat. Place chestnuts in a saucepan, cover abundantly with water and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook gently until they are tender. Keep the chestnuts in the cooking water and take out one at a time to peel. Use a sharp knife with a pointed blade to remove the shell, then the skin. Set aside. (If a chestnut breaks, while being handled, it is fine.)
How to roast the Brussels sproutsPreheat oven to 350 F. Rinse and trim the sprouts as needed: cut off the hard end of the stem (about 1/8 inch / 3 mm), then remove any wilted leaves. Cut the smaller sprouts in half and quarter the larger ones. Place in a bowl and sprinkle a bit of olive oil on them. Stir well then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Turn the halved sprouts cut side down and the quartered ones to have one of the cut sides down. Bake until tender. After 20 minutes, stir the sprouts (keeping them still in one layer) and gauge the time remaining to complete cooking. They should be nice and tender, with a hint of browning of the lighter parts.
How to finish the dishWhile the Brussels sprouts are in the oven, place the raisins in a small bowl and add warm water to just cover them. When the Brussels sprouts are ready, place them in a bowl, add the chestnuts and the raisins, drained, plus a couple of tablespoons of their water. Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg and salt to taste, then dress with half a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss well and serve warm.
