Chestnuts with Fennel

When we were in Tuscany, we hit the beginning of chestnut season. Castagne, a general term for chestnuts, are harvested from October through December. To harvest chestnuts, the whole ripe chestnut "pod" must fall off the tree. The spiny green pod must then be cracked open to reveal shiny, reddish brown chestnuts.

We were lucky enough to forage for chestnuts one evening after a cooking lesson in Pescina, a small town near Seggiano. We picked up over 2 kg (5 lb.) within a short time! These included some very large chestnuts that Italians would classify as marrone . Here's a picture:

Picking Chestnuts Tuscany 2001: Picking chestnuts near Pescina, Tuscany in October 2001.    From left to Right: Carmen, Barb, Carol, Walter.
We brought our bounty back to the restaurant and they served the chestnuts boiled with fennel.

Since chestnuts are now available locally, you might want to try this way of preparing them besides roasting.

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