Just got the best christmas present - mom's chestnut recipe!

[Blues Heron]

AND all the ingredients! she dropped off a bag last night. In it were:

2 jars of chestnuts
2 cans of beef broth
1 bottle of Madeira wine
1 little bag of corntarch

make a paste with 2 T cornstarch and some Madeira
mix into the broth
cover chestnuts with broth mixture
Add 3 T butter
slosh in a bunch more Madeira (that's one of Mom's technical cooking terms)
bake at slow simmer for 45-60 min
liquid should be reduced to a syrupy glaze

Happy Holidays!

[hippywife]

1. How wonderful that

you received something so personal that you can cherish for years to come.

What exactly do you do with it when it's done?

[Blues Heron]

2. It was really sweet!

I am thinking I might roast a goose to go with the chestnuts, maybe make some red cabbage - that was mom's traditional feast (plus roast beef!) but there's only two of us this year, so.... maybe a turkey breast? or duck?

[hippywife]

3. Ah, I was thinking glaze for meat

but wasn't sure. I'd never heard of it before. Enjoy! :hi:

[Blues Heron]

5. Thanks!

:toast:

[elleng]

4. Have some M'diera, m'dear!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrbAyHVVYgI

[Blues Heron]

6. LOL!

:rofl:

thanks for that !

:toast:

[Blues Heron]

7. The chestnuts are in the oven!

Happy Christmas/Chanuka/Solstice/Kwaanza !

Me and Green Heron are going to be having Salmon this time! Couldn't find a goose for love or money, that will have to be another time!

I reserved a generous amount of M'deira for the cook (me) !!

love you guys - keep on cooking up a storm!

BH

[hippywife]

9. And how was your lovely chestnut glaze?

Hope you had a lovely dinner, sweetie. :hug:

[Blues Heron]

10. it was great!

Came out wonderfully. The only issue was how much to reduce the liquid - it seemed to be going too slowly, and I didn't want to overcook them, so they were more saucy than we used to have, but not in a bad way! The cooking smell filled the whole house like the memory of christmas past AND we had goose too, after all! We found out our local german restaurant was open so we did takeout roast goose with red cabbage :rofl: it was awesome! Hope yours was lovely too! :hug:

[tigereye]

8. ooh, ooh! Interesting! I forgot to cook the chestnuts I bought

for Christmas....

Wonder if chicken broth would offer a similar effect? ( I don't usually cook beef)

[Blues Heron]

11. I bet chicken broth would be delicious!

The real key is not to skimp on the Madeira! (or other sweet sherry) I used about half a bottle for this batch - the chestnuts covered the bottom of a 10 x 15 inch baking dish in one layer. Hope you try this!