Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Le Marron/栗

Baked Chestnut Rice

DSC_5282Tis the season of chestnuts? I think so… deep in Fall, yearning for chestnuts dishes intensify with love and hate. My feeling of discordance is of course, removing its shells…it’s so darn hard! However, our Autumn won’t pass by without welcoming the shiny brown petite friends.

Although there are many methods to remove the tough outer layer of skin Japanese call it onigawa (demon skin/鬼皮) and inner thin skin called shibugawa (bitter skin/渋皮), right now I prefer pressure cooker method because of no soaking time necessary and quicker…still I don’t feel the love yet at this point.

I say this is French because I borrowed the recipe from a Japanese chef of a French restaurant La Blance I saw in a magazine. I like the uniqueness…yep very original!

Ingredients and Instruction for 4 servings (Print Recipe Here)

  • 20 to 25 chestnuts
  • 3/4 cup multi grain rice (五穀米) I used 8 grain rice mix IMG_2036
  • 1/2 medium size onion minced
  • 3  to 4 slices of bacon roughly chopped
  • 2-3 leaves of cabbage roughly chopped (optional)IMG_2039
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper
  • Parmesan cheese
  1. Prepare chestnuts – remove two layers of skins.
    Pressure cooker method – carefully  notch the peak of chestnuts in cross fashion first without going too deep. Put prepared chestnuts in the pressure cooker. Add barely enough water to cover the chestnuts. Cover with lid, set to low pressure for 6 minutes. when it finishes, release pressure and remove one with tong. The area you notched should now be opened up, pull downward to remove brown shell. Then with sharp knife peel the inner skin from bottom. Do this as fast as possible while it’s still warm. Repeat for the rest. Note: I leave chestnuts in the pressure cooker pan while I’m working on the others. It will be difficult to remove skin if chestnuts cool
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  2. Prepare rice -  Boil about 3 cups of water and add rice. Cook until soft about 25 minutes at low heat. Do this step while you are peeling chestnuts. When the rice is ready strain thru fine mesh. Set aside.IMG_2046
  3. Heat oven to 390F.  Sauté bacon and onion until onion is transparent. Add cabbage if using (cabbage adds sweetness to the dish), cook till wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread them in the bottom of an oven safe dish with at least 2 inch rim.
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  4. Assembly – Place drained rice on top of the step #3. Then chestnuts, sprinkling chicken broth is next and finally grated cheese.
  5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.DSC_5273DSC_5279

More chestnuts fair - Japanese style chestnuts nice, a staple fall dish. This with black beans is a little twist on our tradition. The matsutake mushroom savory custard, steamed pork belly with lotus roots and sweet potato was definitely something  to enjoy the full moon the other night.DSC_5255DSC_5259And last but not least, the Almond cream chestnuts bundles are uncomplicated if you use the store bought frozen pastry.DSC_5292DSC_5297I can feel the love finally! ~ Can you feel the love tonight ?~ that’s my favorite song in The Lion King!…wait,  Hakuna matata is my best?…Circle of life?… oh whatever! What’s a-motto with you?

Anyway, I hope you have no worries for the rest of your days!

25 comments:

  1. Chestnuts are one of the must have in autumn. Your chestnut rice must be very delicious. How did you make almond chestnut cream? The pastry bundels look wonderful.

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    1. Thank you so much Angie! I think I have your marinated tofu tonight.

      Almond cream -equal amount of butter, sugar, room temperature whole egg and almond powder (in this case, 20g each) mix together, adding almond butter last. 1 table spoon of this on the pastry sheet and stick the one chestnut in middle, wrap then bake for 25 minutes at 390F. Very simple, right?

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  2. こんばんは。洋風栗御飯ですか、とても美味しそうです。 いまどき、我が家の主婦は栗の皮をむいてお料理を作ることなんて、全然考えていません。御主人が羨ましいかぎりです。

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    1. 斉藤さん、愉快なコメントありがとうございます。 大笑いしているところです。
      旅行の写真、毎回素敵ですね。楽しみにしています。

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  3. Â fabulous dish. Wonderfully autumnal and so tasty.

    The desserts looks amazing too.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  4. Replies
    1. Thank you Jalna. I feel your love! And love you too.

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  5. So I can use my pressure cooker to prepare chestnuts - good info, awesome!

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  6. It looks so amazing! I have never seen such an original chestnut dish too... I should prepare it one day (I have never cooked chestnuts, so thank you for this post: your photographs are definitely a great encouragement!).

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    1. Thank you Sissi. I'm so glad you were able to visit Japan. I'm super jealous!

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  7. looks amazing love your recipes and introducing Japanese cuisine to us

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    1. Thank you so much Rebecca. Your blog is filled with great intimations, I think it's so neat.

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  8. I like chestnuts but I do not like preparing them. I miss your chestnut rice!

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  9. I love chestnuts and this risotto is right up my alley!

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    1. Thank you very much Katerina. I have to try your chestnut soup one of days...it's on my list! You're amazing!

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  10. Yummy, sounds amazing!!!

    Hugs,

    Yelena

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much. My husband loves your blog and so do I. He tried one of your recipe. It was delicious!

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  11. こんにちは。
    秋を満喫するメニュー 実に見事で、美しい!
    お箸とみかんが並ぶ食卓にほっとします。 (*´∇`*)

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    1. お元気ですか? 奈良はもう寒くなっていることでしょうね。 コメントありがとうございます。

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  12. マロンはフランス語、英語ではチェスナットですね。わかってはいるんですが、英会話でもついマロンと言ってしまいます。フランス版の栗ご飯もおいしそう。白米でなく五穀米がチーズに合いそうですね。試してみる価値はありますが、夫はやはり慣れた和食の栗ご飯を好むでしょう。栗の皮むきは彼の役目なので、希望どうりにします。私もCan you feel the love tonight? 好きです! エルトンジョンの歌声で親しんでいます。

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    1. コメントありがとうございます。 私も日本の栗ごはんの方がしっくりきます。これはこれで、オモシロイ味でしたが。 来日した折に、ぜひ買おうと思っていた’栗坊主’買い忘れました。 あると栗むきが楽そうですよね。 

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  13. I wish I could try your rice! It looks so good, so tasty and wonderful! :)
    Have a lovely week!

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