Chestnuts.

[SparklyKid]

I love them this time of year. Local veg shop has French ones, last few years most have been rotten inside, black.

Lidl sell Italian ones, bit smaller but really good.

I usually boil them to soften the skin, no longer have a coal fire, any suggestions for best way to cook them.

[ummmm]

I roast them.

[SparklyKid]

The bag does suggest roasting them, gas mark 6, but first cut a cross on the top. I am sure you could buy sprouts at exmas with chestnuts mixed in.

[Buenchico]

Simply put them in your oven for half an hour:
https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/roastchestnuts_68084

[SparklyKid]

The oven it is then. I usually boil them but you have to be quick to peel the outer casing before it hardens.

[ummmm]

I always stab them first to stop them exploding.

[ethandron]

I love chestnuts too but these days don’t bother with those you have to boil or roast. Instead I buy vacuum packed ones which most supermarkets sell...totally foolproof and no bad ones. You can heat them up or eat them just as they come, and cook with them.
Mmm, dipped in salt, yum.

[AuntLydia]

put a small cut in the hard outer skin and bake 220C fan for around 20 minutes. Leave to cool remove outer shells and inner membranes and either eat like that or better still fry in butter until golden.

[choux]

Same as you SK - no longer have an open fire but I have been known to roast English chestnuts on a disposable barbecue set outdoors. Doesn't half save on carpet burns ;)

[SparklyKid]

Will report back tomorrow, cheers all.

[retrocop]

I remember,when I were a lad about 200 years ago,we would go on the 113 bus to see the lights, with Santa and Uncle Holly on the top balcony of Selfridges in Oxford Street W.1. Mum always bought us roasted chestnuts from the street vendors who cooked them on a coke brazier. They would get nicked nowdays. Perhaps post Brexit I can take my lovely Grand daughters on a magical mystery tour as I enjoyed. Obviously I survived the chestnuts and no one got burnt.

[woofgang]

I think there might still be chestnut vendors in London although not so many.....worth trying Petticoat Lane Market?

[rockyracoon]

That wonderful winter aroma, of roasted chestnuts being sold at the side of the road. Happy days

[ummmm]

Got some coming today with the shopping.

[Rockrose]

I am sure the EU has nothing to do with this and just things have moved on in 50 plus years.

[SparklyKid]

The Lidl ones were superb. £2.49 a bag, very tasty.

[ummmm]

How did you cook them?

[SparklyKid]

Boiled ummm, about 20 mins. Find them easier to peel if left in the water.

They were from Italy. The local market sells larger ones from France. The French ones in recent years have been mostly bad inside.

[ummmm]

I've only ever roasted them.

[retrocop]

Pierce each chestnut and put them in a roasting dish
Gas mark 6 for 30 mins

[rowanwitch]

The chestnut man at the Birmingham Christmas market is a target for me. However when I can be bothered to get a bus out to Hopwood and walk back towards Kings Norton the road is almost lined with real chestnut trees and I can usually fill a couple of carrier bags. Apart from a few straight from the oven. The rest I boil, peel and freeze. Couldn't face it this year as the buses are only once an hour.