Chestnuts and Brussels Sprouts in Butter

Brussel Sprouts

The Hill Team loves chestnuts. We remember buying those warm bags of crunchy, creamy goodness from street vendors in New York City. Similar to the braziers in Italy, chestnuts are cooked in their skins on a grill set up on a street cart. When the Hill Team hiked the hills of Tuscany, we experienced a similar dish in a farm home kitchen.

We sometimes roast chestnuts for our turkey stuffing. Here is a simple, tasty recipe we enjoy when we want a change from our traditional green bean casserole, or want to serve both for a holiday feast. If you think that Brussels sprouts are not your favorite vegetable, this Italian-inspired recipe we adapted from Lorenza De’ Medici could change your mind.

Chestnuts and Brussels Sprouts in Butter

Ingredients

1-1/4 lbs chestnuts

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 celery stalk, cut or sliced into strips about ½ inch

10 oz Brussels sprouts, quartered

1/2 cup dry white wine

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (pepper is not in the original recipe, but we like it on most dishes)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place chestnuts on a baking sheet and bake for l0 minutes. Remove the shells and inner skins.

Place chestnuts in a skillet with the butter, celery, and sprouts and sauté over low heat for 5 minutes. Add wine, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until sprouts are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Serve hot, serves about 4.

Tips:

One could substitute canned chestnuts, but then you would miss that heavenly scent of late fall wafting throughout your home.

We let this dish sit for about 10 minutes in a warm, but turned-off oven, with good results, still hot and crunchy.

This can be a delectable vegetarian option or a side dish with turkey, ham, lamb, beef, duck, or chicken.