Chestnuts, My New Love

Fridays never come soon enough. I am not yet at the point in life where I can wake up and do exactly what I dreamed I’d be doing. I can’t bake bread in the mornings, or open the doors to my cafe while customers wait patiently outside for an espresso and muffin. It’ll happen. Just not yet.  For now, I’m trolling away at a desk job, waiting for the day I get “discovered” like a 16-year-old in a garage band.

So not only does Friday bring me closer to two days of reprieve, it’s also my day to escape during lunch and stroll around the farmers’ market. An hour to myself, where I can take my time and sample fresh fruits, discover a bitter Asian vegetable, or watch the catfish flop around at the fish stand.

Two weeks ago I was on my weekly sojourn and tried something I have never tasted before. Something smoky, yet sweet. It felt like a jelly, but looked like peanut butter. It was chestnut jam. I didn’t know you could make jam from chestnuts. I didn’t know you could do anything with chestnuts, other than roasting them over an open fire. And come on, do people really do that?

I didn’t buy the jam that day because I had plans after work and was already carrying too much, but it haunted me since. Did I like the jam? What could I do with it? Yesterday I went back to the stand and tried it again. Yes, I liked it. And not only liked it, I loved it. Winters Chestnuts were serving samples on sliced baguettes, and I was already imagining if the bread was grilled, and there was melted Dry Jack cheese oozing over the jam. I bought a 4-ounce jar for $4.50, and a pound of fresh chestnuts for $2.25.

Winters Chestnuts are grown on a local family farm in Northern California, and you can find them at the Old Oakland market on Fridays and starting next week, at the Temescal market on Sundays. You can also buy their fresh chestnuts and jam on Foodzie. If you’ve never cooked with chestnuts, they have handouts describing how to store them, boil or roast them, and also a few recipes. If you can’t make it to the market, I’ll share their secrets with you…

Chestnuts compared to other nuts:
Chestnuts have a high water content and very little oil. They are high in carbohydrates, have lots of protein, and are gluten and cholesterol free. Nutritionally, they are similar to brown rice.

How to store chestnuts:
Chestnuts are like vegetables – they spoil. Store them in the fridge and they’ll last 1-2 weeks.

How to roast chestnuts:
Cut an “X” on the flat side of the chestnut with a sharp knife, getting down to the “meat.” I hear the nuts will actually explode from the pressure if you don’t do this, though I don’t know from experience. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place chestnuts on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes. Peel off the shell with a knife or your hands while the nuts are still warm.

How to boil chestnuts: Cut chestnuts in half or cut slits in the sides. Place in a pot of boiling water for 12 minutes. Drain, and peel while still warm. If the chestnuts cool too much, the shells get increasing hard to remove. This I do know from experience.

Brown rice with chestnuts and sesame seeds
Adapted from Winter Chestnut’s recipe for Kuri Gohan. Serves 2, cook time: 1 hour

1 1/2 cups brown rice
8 ounces of chestnuts, boiled and peeled
3 tablespoons sesame oil
4 scallions, cut on the diagonal
3 cups water
1/4 cup sesame seeds
optional: fresh red chilies, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add rice, water and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil to a pot and bring to a boil. Add boiled, peeled chestnuts. Cover and co on low for 30 minutes. Tip: When I cook rice on the stove top, I put a clean, cotton towel between the lid and the pot. It helps catch the steam and creates fluffier rice.

Remove the lid and fluff rice with a fork. Add sesame seeds and the last tablespoon of sesame oil. Garnish with the sliced scallions and chopped chilies.

Where I shopped:
Winters chestnuts, scallions: Old Oakland Farmers’ Market
Brown rice: Berkeley Bowl
Sesame oil: Oakland Chinatown

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