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Buying organic chestnuts or regular chestnuts?

Any type of fruit, vegetable, or nut will always be much better if it's organic essentially because it's more natural. Our bodies are not made to consume products highly processed in factories to prevent them from going bad when they should. If a natural product like chestnuts or any fruit or vegetable is not consumed in its proper season, that is, the date when it should naturally be harvested and consumed, it's because the cycles of that fruit have been artificially modified and if you also notice that the fruit lasts without going bad longer than normal it's because they have been treated with chemicals that are not suitable for human consumption in high volume. Can you imagine that for every product you consume there is a small portion that is directly "poison" for your body if you were to consume it in a larger quantity? That's what happens today. That's why at Los Conventos brand we always recommend consuming the most natural, because the most natural is usually the healthiest.

Chestnuts and autumn, an inseparable pair.

There are many products that we can associate with autumn, but few evoke as much nostalgia as chestnuts. They are almost an icon of this bucolic season, when forests are painted with colors and the ground is filled with leaves, mushrooms, and these unmistakable fruits that have been so important for centuries in the economy and culture of many regions of our country.

This is how chestnuts are cooked.

The aroma of roasted chestnuts has something magical and comforting, but they can be used much more in cooking. When cooking them, it is preferable to choose chestnuts of a similar size or caliber, so that they are all cooked evenly. The plumper ones will be easier to peel, while the very flat ones will make it more difficult. For roasting chestnuts at home it is ideal to use the typical "chestnut pan", with holes, which can be used over wood, coals, or, if adapted, the fire of the stove. They can also be roasted in the oven or in the microwave, but in all cases a previous cut must be made to prevent them from exploding, and to facilitate the subsequent peeling.

The cut can be a cross or a simple line that crosses the outermost bark and the inner skin, with a sharp or serrated knife. In the oven, they will be ready in about 20 minutes, preheated to 200ºC, depending on the size and power of the appliance. To cook them in the microwave, you have to check them depending on the appliance, but usually 2 and a half minutes at 800W is enough. Do not lose sight of them because they can explode or generate a lot of steam if the power is excessive.

For cooking with them and other preparations, another option is to boil them in boiling water, for about 10-20 minutes, depending on the size and the desired texture. Always remembering the previous cut, and controlling the interior texture. Once semi-cooked and peeled, they can be finished cooking in milk, syrup, or sugar, or used for savory dishes like meat fillings, rice, vegetable creams, bean stews, soups, or stir-fries.

In the culinary world, they can be incorporated already cooked or roasted as if they were any other nut, whole or chopped, in cake batters, cookies, muffins, or pies. They can be ground to almost turn them into flour, or to make sweet creams, for example with chocolate, or spoon desserts like custards, panna cotta, or puddings. Sweet chestnut cream is a delicious preserve, as well as chestnuts in syrup.

If you crave chestnuts out of season, you can find them canned in natural syrup, frozen, dried, or in sweet preparations of all kinds, including jams and different desserts. In addition, chestnut flour is a delightful ingredient full of aromas to experiment with in our bakery and pastry recipes, especially when combined with chocolate and nuts.