Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/228594
37 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 15 DECEMBER 2013 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 MAY 2011 FINE FOOD OF THE WEEK Chestnuts roasting on an open fire CHESTNUTS have a distinc- tively Christmas feel, partly due to Nat Cole's Christmas carol and the seasonality of the nut that is available from late autumn through the winter. The chestnut dates back to prehistoric times and is said to have originally come from Sardis, an ancient kingdom in Asia Minor and was first introduced to Europe via Greece. Today, most of the chestnut food crop is imported from Japan, China, Spain, and Italy. A cousin of the oak, the chestnut tree can live for a formidable 500 years producing some of the least oily nuts between late autumn and winter. The sweet, dense and starchy nut is easy to digest and is high in fibre. Unlike other nuts, they are relatively low in fat, almost all of which is unsaturated, making them ideal for people watching their weight. They are rich in minerals and phyto-nutrients that benefit health, and unlike other nuts, especially high in vitamin C. Chestnuts, like hazelnuts and almonds, are free in gluten. Because they contain twice as much starch as a potato, they are used in Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe as a primary source of carbohydrates. Chestnuts should not be eaten raw but can be candied, boiled, steamed, grilled, or roasted. Boiling chestnuts mellows them whilst roasting gives a more concentrated taste. They are then used in both sweet and savoury dishes and are delicious when paired with cabbage, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, carrots, sage, and pork. Choose chestnuts that are plump, firm, glossy, and heavy for their size. The popularity of chestnuts declined over the last few centuries, partly due to their reputation of as a poor man's food, however they are still popularly sold as street food in many European cities to fight off the cold. Dried chestnuts are often used to make the traditional Maltese drink imbuljata – a spiced, hot chocolate drink made with stewed chestnuts. Chestnuts are also included in the Borza ta' San Martin, that children are given on St Martin's Day celebrated on the Sunday closest to 11 November. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Slow-roasted chateaubriand with Béarnaise sauce By Andre Spiteri serves 2 Ingredients • • • • • Method 1. 550gbeeffillet(preferablychateaubriand) 2clovesgarlic 40mloil 100gunsaltedbutter 4springsofthyme Method 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Preheat the oven at 160ºC. Heatupanon-stickpanwithsome of the oil and gently seal the beef on all sides. Add the garlic cloves and the butter, foam the butter add the thyme and turn the beef over. Transfertotheoveninacleandish with more garlic cloves and thyme on top and some of the more butter. Cook for approximately 12 mins. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 3 – 5 mins. This will cook the meat to medium. Increase or reduce cooking time to you taste. Serve with béarnaise sauce, roast potatoes and vegetables. 2. 3. 4. Béarnaise Sauce Ingredients 300g butter 4tbspwhitewinevinegar 4shallots,chopped 3 tbsp fresh tarragon ½ tsp English mustard Salt and pepper 4eggyolks 1 tsp lemon juice 5. Clarify the butter by melting it in a small, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. When the butter is foaming, remove the pan from the heat and leave it to stand for a few minutes so that the white solids sink to the bottom of the pan. Sieve the butter through a fine sieve and discard the solids (the white milk content of the butter). Pour the vinegar into a saucepan. Add the shallots, chopped tarragon and salt, to taste. Heat gently over a medium heat until the volume of liquid has reduced by more than half. Strain and set aside until completely cooled. Lightly beat egg yolks with one teaspoon of water and the English mustard. Stir the egg yolk mixture into the cooled vinegar, and then add the lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a bowl suspended over a pan of simmeringwater(donotallowbase of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and has increased in volume. Remove the bowl from the heat and slowly pour in the clarified butter in a steady stream, whisking continuously, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Fold in the tarragon leaves and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.