Roasting Chestnuts

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La caldarroste Italian for Roasted Chestnuts. 

Roasting chestnuts has always been a longtime tradition in my family; one of my fondest food memories is of all of us gathering ’round the table, peeling and savoring chestnuts after supper at Nana’s. Life was a bit simpler then, but I will carry on our European tradition for many years to come and hope to inspire you to do the same!

You’ll enjoy my grill or oven-roasted nuts; once cooked, its texture is similar to that of a baked potato, with a delicate, sweet, and nutty flavor. - 

Roasted Chestnuts

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Preheat the grill to medium-high temperature or oven to 425 degrees F.

Clean chestnuts and dry. Use a sharp paring knife to cut a small X into the flat, pointed tip end of each chestnut, or prick chestnuts with a sharp church key (can opener) fork to allow steam to escape, preventing them from exploding.

pre roasting L- raw chestnuts, R-chestnuts cut with an X

Place chestnuts in a shallow roasting pan. Roast on a grill or oven for 15-25 minutes, shaking occasionally or until chestnuts are tender and shells peel easily. Chestnuts are best when eaten warm. 

Tip: Roasting time of chestnuts is variable depending on freshness. Choose firm, heavy nuts, not hollow, when buying. 

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Nougatkugeln

Aka the chocolate truffle, the bite-sized petit four is made from a creamy mixture of chocolate ganache, usually with butter and cream. However, this German version I've prepared below has less fat in the recipe but does not sacrifice the decadent chocolate flavor. As I've written prior, the quality of the truffle is primarily dependent on the quality of the chocolate you start with. I can't stress this enough.

Nougatkugeln

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Makes about 35 truffles 

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup confectioners sugar

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

*2 Tablespoons espresso or strong brewed coffee, or as needed

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup hazelnuts or almonds, lightly toasted & ground 

Optional filling: To make an all-chocolate truffle: substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate, ground medium-fine, for the hazelnuts.

Optional flavoring: Reduce espresso by 1 Tablespoon and substitute with 1 Tablespoon of Frangelico (hazelnut flavor liquor), or Grand Marnier (orange flavor liquor). SEE DIRECTIONS BELOW

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid overheating. As the chocolate begins to melt, remove the bowl from the heat.

In a separate bowl, combine the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder with a wire whisk. Mix in espresso, vanilla, and nuts. The mixture should be slightly thick; add additional espresso if the truffle mixture needs to be slightly smoother. 

Cool mixture slightly, and with a small scoop or by hand, form small balls by shaping them into 1/2- to 3/4-inch diameter balls. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate.  

Garniture: Place your coatings for the truffles on a plate and roll truffle balls in one of the following:

Toasted crushed nuts

Powdered sugar

Cocoa powder

Tempered chocolate striped over truffles

Coconut

Shaved chocolate

Chill until firm. Nougatkugeln is best when served at room temperature. 

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There's a Sop in My Soup

Of course, there is - what would a French onion soup be without a toasted crouton, aka a sop? Sops are used for soaking up a warm liquid, broth, or wine, and was the term used in days of yore. I guess it was only natural that the word soup derived from sop. 

The mixture of these five onions gives a nice character to the soup. But, no sweat if you have less than five. Use a sweet onion such as OSO, which I found this week at the market, and you'll have a tasty version. The so-called bar of success in making an onion soup is all the slow cooking and gradual 'caramelizing' of the onions. The onions' natural sweetness adds a rich, robust flavor and golden brown color, the prize in this soup. 

This easy to prepare hearty soup for a cool night makes for a wonderful dinner or rustic appetizer.

CREAMY FIVE-ONION SOUP

Makes 6-8 servings

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2 Tablespoons olive oil 

2 each sweet onions*, chopped 

3 cloves garlic, chopped 

6 each Chipolini onions, chopped 

1 each red onion, chopped 

1 green onion, chopped 

1 Tablespoon flour 

1/2 cup tomato sauce 

2 teaspoons dried thyme 

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup potatoes, peeled and chopped 

2 cups chicken broth 

2 cups beef broth 

Optional:

1/2 cup half and half

French bread croutons

Parmesan, Emmental, or Gruyere cheese

Preheat a large soup or saucepot to medium heat. Add olive oil, sweet onions, garlic, cipollini onions, red onion, and green onion. Cook for 10 minutes without stirring until the onions in the bottom of the pot begin to brown. Stir, and allow the onions to continue to brown further. Stir and allow onions to cook for an additional five minutes. The total cooking time of onions will be about 20 minutes or more.

Season with thyme, bay leaves, and pepper; add tomato sauce and flour, and stir. Add white wine and cook for 5 minutes or until dry. Add chicken broth, beef broth, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes. 

Remove bay leaves then, and puree one-half of the soup in a blender or food processor.

Return pureed soup back to soup pot. Bring soup back to a boil; reduce temperature to a simmer. Add optional half and half. Serve with a toasted French bread crouton, top with grated Parmesan, and melt Emmental or Gruyere cheese. 

*Note on onions: Soup may be made with any type of sweet onions and garlic only. Or, you may add any onion family, such as leeks, chives, etc. 

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George Hirsch Lifestyle Biscotti

One of the most often asked questions regarding biscotti is, do you dunk? ” And I’m not talking coffee or espresso. Biscotti is ideally dipped into sweet wine; the dry cookie soaks up the beverage, giving it a perfect flavor.

Cantucci Di Prato or Biscotti? Biscotti (twice-baked) originated in Roman times as soldiers carried preserved biscuits. Later, they found their way to Prato, where they were flavored with almonds from the plentiful almond groves. There, the cookies are known as cantucci. 

Whichever name you prefer, they are perfect for dipping into a sweet glass of Tuscan Vin Santo (holy wine).

Chef George onset of George Hirsch Lifestyle dunking biscotti this recipe is an ideal do-ahead sweet, as it only gets better a couple of days after baking. 

George’s Biscotti

Makes 3 ½ dozen cookies

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1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup pure cane granulated sugar

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 eggs

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3 drops pure almond or anise extract  + 1 teaspoon fresh grated orange zest

1/2 cup mixed pistachios pieces and slivered almonds; or, use 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate and dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, beat the oil, eggs, sugar, and almond flavoring until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, and nuts. Stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. 

Place the dough on the parchment-lined sheet pan and divide it into two pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your sheet pan. Press down to 1/2 inch thickness, and with a rolling stick, even out the top height of the dough by rolling evenly and gently. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven until a light golden brown. Remove the two biscotti bars from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 4-5 minutes on each side or until slices should be lightly toasted.

Cool, and store for two weeks in a tightly sealed container. 

Tip: Save the biscotti crumbs when slicing cookies; they make an ideal topping on gelato and ice cream. 

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Making a Yuletide Flip

Whether you spike or not, it's known as ait de poule from the French, which means hen milk or egg flip by the British. With low-taxed rum readily available from the Caribbean, it allowed the British to extend their dairy inexpensively. Here in North America, it's eggnog. The popular yuletide beverage received popularity with the colonies in the 18th century due to the large amount of dairy available in the New World. As corn and rye became a staple in the colonies, whiskey and bourbon became the standard dairy stretcher to the traditional British egg flip. So you could say Americans gave rum the flip, to speak, as whiskey and bourbon found their way into glasses in North America. 

There is a good reason why rich and delicious eggnog is limited to being served up only during the holiday season. Is it possible the caloric intake, or is it just a reason to reserve it to be one of those nostalgic beverages you look forward to toasting every year? Maybe a bit of both. 

One thing is certain; if I am toasting with it, it might as well be spiked! Cheers!

Chef George’s Traditional Eggnog 

Makes 4 Servings

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6 egg yolks, save the whites *see below

2 cups of milk

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup bourbon or rum 

1/4 brandy

1/2 cup pure cane sugar or Turbinado

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind

Using a mixer with a whip attachment on medium speed, whip the egg yolks until light in color, about 4-5 minutes. Add sugar and mix until completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a double boiler, combine the milk, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange rind and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and combine while tempering the hot milk-cream mixture into the egg-sugar mixture.

Return all ingredients to a double boiler and heat constantly, stirring with a spatula until the mixture reaches 160 degrees (well below a simmer), and eggnog begins to resemble custard.

Remove from the heat, and stir in the bourbon and brandy. Pour into a bowl, cool, and refrigerate for at least two to four hours. It is best if refrigerated overnight.

Serve in cups with shaved chocolate or unsweetened cocoa powder dusted on top.

Optional Toppings: a dollop of *meringue (made from all the leftover egg whites), ice cream, or whipped cream.

To Make Meringue, six egg whites, 1 Tablespoon pure can sugar, or Turbinado.

Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running, gradually add one tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

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