Chestnuts And Prunes Recipes

Steps:

• Place the chestnuts and the prunes in a large pan in a single layer. Add water to just cover and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, cool and halve both the chestnuts and the prunes.
• Meanwhile, sauté the onions in the oil or butter in a frying pan until golden.
• Add the 4 remaining tablespoons of sugar to the onions, as well as salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, the lemon juice or vinegar, and the cinnamon. Then stir in the chestnuts and prunes, and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Melt butter in large skillet.
• Add chestnuts, salt and pepper to taste and ground fennel seeds.
• Simmer for a few minutes until heated thoroughly and set skillet aside.
• Place prunes in a saucepan and add port, salt, pepper and cinnamon.
• Cook over low heat until tender, 8-10 minutes.
• Add prunes to chestnuts, mix together gently and simmer 3 minutes, to warm chestnuts.

Steps:

• Soak the prunes for an hour in the port. Meanwhile, prepare the chestnuts. Make a slit in the top of each one with a sharp knife. Put them in boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water a few at a time with a slotted spoon. Wearing clean rubber gloves to protect your fingers, slip off the outer and inner skins while the chestnuts are still hot. Place the chestnuts in a large bowl.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the onion, garlic, celery and thyme. Cook without browning until the onion has softened. Add the chestnuts and the prunes with the port that they have been soaking in along with the stock, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add more stock if necessary.
• Stir in the parsley, season with salt and pepper and stuff the mixture into the goose cavity. Sew up the cavity and truss the goose.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the celery, onions, prunes, chestnuts, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture softens and starts browning, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
• Combine the bread and broth mixture in a large bowl and gently mix until all the bread is moistened. Stir in the beaten eggs.
• Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Add the stuffing and dot with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown, about 20 more minutes.

Steps:

• Combine prunes, stock, 1 1/2 cups wine and 1 cup prune juice in heavy medium saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove mixture from heat. Transfer 12 prunes to small bowl, using slotted spoon.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Pat goose dry. Pull out fat from cavity. Rub inside and out with cut side of orange. Combine salt and pepper and rub inside and outside goose. Place orange, onion, bay leaves and 12 drained prunes in goose cavity. Tie legs together. Place goose on rack in roasting pan. Pierce all over with small metal skewer or toothpick.
• Roast goose 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and roast 30 minutes longer. Remove fat from roasting pan. Combine remaining 1/4 cup wine and 1/4 cup prune juice and brush some over goose. Continue roasting goose until juices run clear when pierced in thickest part of thigh, basting goose with wine mixture and removing fat from pan occasionally, about 2 hours.
• Transfer goose to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 20 minutes.
• Strain prune poaching liquid, reserving prunes. Degrease roasting juices. Add 1/2 cup poaching liquid to roasting pan and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer to heavy medium saucepan. Add Armagnac, remaining poaching liquid and degreased roasting juices. Boil until flavors are intense, about 15 minutes. Knead butter and flour together. Whisk into sauce in small bits and simmer until thick, about 8 minutes. Add poached prunes and chestnuts and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley.
• Carve goose into thin slices. Spoon sauce, chestnuts and prunes over.

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F
• Scatter bread in a single layer in 2 large shallow baking pans (17 by 12 inches) and toast, stirring once or twice and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden and dry, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a very large bowl.
• Cook pancetta in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Add butter and heat until melted, then add celery and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes.
• Stir in sage, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute.
• Add pancetta mixture along with chestnuts and prunes to bowl containing bread.
• Whisk together stock and eggs, then stir into bread mixture until combined well.
• Transfer to 4 quart wide baking dish (stuffing will mound above dish).
• Bake, loosely covered with a buttered sheet of foil (buttered side down) 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake until top is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Cooks' notes:.
• • Stuffing, without stock-and-egg mixture, can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Stir in stock mixture, then proceed with recipe.
• • Stuffing can be baked 6 hours ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, loosely covered. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 400°F oven until hot, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Scatter bread in a single layer in 2 large shallow baking pans (17 by 12 inches) and toast, stirring once or twice and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden and dry, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a very large bowl.
• Cook pancetta in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add butter and heat until melted, then add celery and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes. Stir in sage, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute. Add pancetta mixture along with chestnuts and prunes to bowl containing bread. Whisk together stock and eggs, then stir into bread mixture until combined well. Transfer to baking dish (stuffing will mound above dish).
• Bake, loosely covered with a buttered sheet of foil (buttered side down) 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake until top is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more.