I have an odd sense of economics at best. In High School I was so terrible at Economics that no-one ever expected me to answer anything. When my teacher Mr Pretty (yes his name really was Mr Pretty) asked “Who knows what O.E.C.D. means?” and I answered in a bored voice “Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development” expecting thirty other girl’s voices to be chiming in with me only to find I was the only one, my friends and he turned around startled that I had actually managed to answer a question in Economics class. I don’t blame them, I was hopeless at it and I was surprised I knew the answer too. I’d shown no predilection for economics or money and I certainly considered “budget” a dirty word.
Anyway, my poor sense of economics came into play the other day. I walked past a greengrocer and saw 500gram sacks of chestnuts on sale for 99c. I did a double take expecting there to be a $4 or $5 in front of the .99 but no, the sticker said 99c. Even someone that hated Maths as much as I did could work out that that was a fantastic deal and chestnuts are rarely seen for $1.98 a kilo so I snapped up a few sacks and off I went. I got them home and decided to cook the chestnuts . I set about cutting the X’s in the top to prevent them exploding only to realise that a part of them were past their ideal state. Not surprising given the price of course. I of course had just ploughed my way through all of them and wasted quite a bit of my time doing so only to find that the few dollars I saved were negated by the ruination of my three day old manicure not to mention the considerable time spent cutting up, roasting and peeling the little cretins.
Nevertheless the ones I did roast and pry out were sweet and delicious and I ended up tossing them in a spiced butter dressing. I didn’t want to make chestnut puree or marron glaces with them (something I decided last year I would not do more than once in my life as it was so difficult and time consuming) but did want a nice snack that I could serve to friends or even eat in front of the television (chestnuts are actually low in fat especially compared to other nuts) and this fit the bill. I had a few cones of this and Mr NQN ended up eating the rest of the whole lot in one sitting. I promised him that I’d make them again but then I promised myself that I’d avoid discounted chestnuts for the sake of my nails.
So tell me Dear Reader, what subject did you dislike at during school?
And in some exciting news, Not Quite Nigella is now iphone and mobile phone compatible! Thanks to Mr NQN who worked hard on it 
Chilli Spiced Roasted Chestnuts
- 750grams chestnuts in shells
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1.5 teaspoon muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cutting an “X” on the rounded side
1. Preheat the oven to 410F/210C. Line a baking tray with parchment. Place one chestnut flat side down on a cutting board and cut an “X” with a sharp, serrated knife in the curved side of the chestnut. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Doing this one handed while photographing it with the other is kind of silly…
2. Have a tea towel spread out and carefully lift the chestnuts onto the tea towel (I usually pick up the parchment by the corners and lift that). Wrap the tea towel around it and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Then take the bundle of chestnuts and roll the bundle so that the chestnut shells crack. Then remove the meat from the shells. The shells and the furry layer come off much easier when the nuts are hot.
3. Mix butter, cayenne pepper, muscovado sugar and salt in a bowl and drizzle over the chestnuts tossing them so that they are covered.
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68 Comments | Add your own
That is a wonderful idea! Yummy!
Cheers,
Rosa
How I love chestnuts… what a gorgeous recipe for them, Lorraine… want to try them next season.. i still have a few marron glaces that I made waiting for ice cream!!!
Thank you for the new idea using chestnuts! I was thinking of using them in some way since they are in season now. For your question I have to say maths. Big time!
Mmmm these look so delicious I never find a lot of Chestnuts here in Brisbane in great condition.
My least fav would be PE and the sewing in Home Economics.
Those sound awesome!
Mr Pretty…hahaha. I sh*t you not, but in years 9 & 10 our home economics teacher was a Miss Quiche and our agriculture teacher was Mr Lamb.
As for my most hated subjest, mathematics hands down. I detested it and detested the old crone that tried time after time to teach us all calculus in our senior years even more. Groan.
Great warming snack thats sweet, salty and hot. Yum.
I absolutely cannot pass up a good bargain, and these chesnuts were amazingly priced! That spiced butter sauce sounds amazing, Lorraine!
‘chestnuts roasting on an open fire…’
sorry, i can’t help but associate these beauties with christmastime.
yum chestnuts!
I adore chestnuts, but peeling them drives me completely bonkers! Will try your teatowel method with fingers crossed…thanks..
Will have to try the tip about resting the roasted nuts before trying to shell them – I always have a hassle shelling hazelnuts.
What a great idea. I am always buying roasted chestnuts when I see them for sale at roadside vendors / markets etc
I will have to try these, Lorraine. My encounters with roasted chestnuts have been disappointing to say the least. Hopefully this will change my mind!
I think we went to the same high school – Mr Pretty was my economics teacher as well!
You’ve inspired me to try making homemade roasted chestnuts again. My attempt last month wasn’t too successful because I didn’t slit the chestnuts open. So yeah, you can imagine I have a lot of cleaning to do afterwards.
Oh they look delicious. I love chestnuts. You got a pretty good deal. I saw them at the city for 12.00 a kilo woaaahhhh..
I too have never had success roasting chestnuts and never tasted a good one so I guess I don’t know what I’m missing!
My worst subject was Home Economics- mostly because of the woeful things they insisted we make – omlettes like rubber with bits of red apple cut up in them – who decided that and why? Chow Mein full of cabbage and little else, ham steaks with rings of pineapple on top – ew!
Oh don’t you hate that? I always seem to ruin my manicure in my kitchen shortly after I get it too.
Chestnuts look divine! Pity that a few had to go into the bin.
http://www.brisbanebaker.blogspot.com
Bargain! Chestnuts are my fave – but it’s just such a chore peeling them…! The roasting method sounds somewhat easier than boild ones though…
I studied economics and can’t even remember what OECD stood for! But never mind OECD, let’s talk about those chestnuts – they’re just perfect for the winter season!
i love chestnuts!!! yummmmmmmm~~~
Now I can’t figure out if I have ever had chestnuts. I know the store by my house sells preshelled chestnuts. Maybe I could roast those and toss with the butter. Otherwise, I have no idea where I can find chestnuts this time of year.
I hated PE, and in 5 years only went in the school pool once lol
One of my friends had her period for ’6 weeks straight’ before our male teacher decided to question her lol
Interesting! I’ve always wanted to try chestnuts but never have for some reason. Which is strange considering how abundant they are in Canada (seriously ALL over the ground in fall).
But the whole getting them out of their shell business has deterred me so far.
I saw loads of cheap chestnuts in Cabramatta the other day, contemplated buying them, then kept walking. Seeing this delicious recipe makes me want to go out and buy some now
Hmmm..I think we have some chestnuts in our pantry…not sure if anyone else would be up for trying this…and I’m not sure if we have all the ingredients needed – but it sounds nice!
these look amazinf Lorraine! Unfortunatly chestnuts have been one of biggest failures of recent times. I bought a large amount for roasting and following Stephanie Alexander’s instructions to a tee (which were pretty much the same as yours Lorraine). When I pulled them out of the oven the shells were impossible to pull off, even when I got the outer shell off, the inner shell was so impossible that i ended up with little broken bits of chestnut and a blazing headache
Dont you hate it when you have a cooking disaster and cant figure out where you went wrong! Im keen but a little apprehensive to try again…
Like others I saw chestnuts the other day, was tempted, but walked on by… I’m going back – this recipe looks superb. Thanks Lorraine.
Yum – what a great idea! Unfortunately I am way too lazy to peel the buggers. I am very happy to hear NQN is now phone compatible, I look at it on my phone anyway but it does take a loong time to download
haha
They look great, so autumn.
Hated Maths & still do.
What a terrific snack!
I want these so terribly terribly badly! As you saw on my blog, I’m a bit in love with anything chestnut at the moment. But I’m a bit scared of roasting them myself…
What subjects did I hate? Science and Phys Ed – I opted out of Outdoor Education as soon as I was allowed and transferred to cooking
I forgot…it’s like Fall, almost winter there, right? oh I missed out on chestnuts this season! Gosh, that looks wonderful…I just want to hold one of those hot babies in my eager palms right now! They sell them in Korea by the streets, and it smells HEAVENLY!
Hi Lorraine,
Was reading your post, do you believe that I worked with Mr Pretty’s wife for ten years, Eva. I know John and Eva pretty well. Eva is an incredible cook, and quite the mentor to me. She gave me my first ice cream making machine.
Small old world.
Jules
As finding chestnuts in ANY form in BC is a rarity, I will be sure to try the spiced butter on my favourite droops; pecans!
It has to be Maths, I tried ever so hard but just didn’t get it
Cooking on the other hand was and still is my forte, along with anything crafty.
Your chestnuts look great in their little cone cups, I want some now please! Bought some from a local apple grower last Friday and roasted them, they were heavenly. Easy to peel and we just kept eating them until they were all gone ,lol.The best I’ve had so far and definitely the freshest. Previous two batches bought in shops were very disappointing. I’d love to go to a chestnut farm to pick my own but no-one will go with me
What a great idea – these look like a very moreish treat
yum love chestnuts! they are sooo huge in england and europe! in london I made a delicious filo tart when them inside and in milan they’d roast them on the street and it drove my husband crazy when I’d have to stop for a bag of them late afternoon! sweet, pureed, savoury I love them so what a bargain! they look delicious and I haven’t eaten them since my london days!
Wow. This looks so great! I think this would go perfectly in our picnic next saturday. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Ooooh….delicious! I love chestnuts. I can eat a big bowl of that.
Yum! Great photos Lorraine!
I have 2kg of chestnuts waiting to be used, every day I change my mind what I’m going to do – well 1kg will be going on this. Definitely with a capital D. xx
oooh thanks! i have bought them twice and not used them cause i wasn’t sure how to do them! thanks for the great pics and yummy dressing!
x
did anyone end up winning the Baci chocolates? What was their winning comment???
Chocoless reader… ;-(
I’m only buying the easy peel chestnuts from now on (the greengrocer should label them as such) having tried a few of them roasted in the oven last week. They did truly fall apart like shelling peanuts, hooray, no more mouthfuls of hairy inner skin! I think I hated PE the most at school – but look at me now, attending a gym for the last 5 years!
Yum! I’ve actually never tried chestnuts…
Social Sciences weren’t my friend at school. Politics & Geography held no interest for me although ironically I love travelling.
OK…an admission here. I USED to do chestnuts from scratch but it is such a labor-intensive job AND I always messed up my fingertips! Yours look wonderful and are tempting me, but then I remember all the years I did them and am now thankful I can find them in a jar at Williams Sonoma! My kids are gone so I only use them for a cake here and there and Thanksgiving stuffing. I commend you for turning out a delicious treat, though!
Where on earth did you manage to find those cheap chestnuts? Wanty!
I never knew chestnuts had less fat than some other nuts. Wow, tasty snack indeed.
I remember Mr Pretty’s classes always had newspaper cartoons for their economics exams…while we had tough essay questions. He retired not too long ago though =(
Has to be physics. I was hopeless, and barely scraped a pass in Year 11. These look so delish and easy peezy. Cool packaging.
Sounds like you really won some and lost some with these chestnuts, though judging by how delicious these look, I would say you won by a whole lot more.
Anyway the one subject I really hated in school? Home economics- how’s that for irony?
I’ve since made peace with the baking and cooking (and cleaning) but the sewing? Probably need a couple more years before I’ll give that a shot
Hehe I hated Phys Ed in school, “sir I have period pain” haha, no questions asked.
Those chestnuts I excitedly bought the other day cost an arm and a leg, then I went to a certain supermarket the next day and saw them on special for less than half the price. It’s quality I kept telling myself. They’re still sitting in the plastic bag haha =D
Btw nice nails
Just made a soup a couple of days ago!
Nothing like hot chestnuts. I remember in HK in winter time, they were absolutely sensational.
Lorraine I love the idea of this as a snack…I am mow wondering if it would go with Cashews as I managed to buy more then I needed the other day and haven’t come up for a use for the other lot yet.
The spicy-sweet flavouring sounds great. It’s a shame they were so hard to peel though!
yep I don’t have manicures but I really don’t fancy playing around with fresh chestnuts after an all night experience with them – but I am curious as to how you know they are off
I hated Social Studies… was never a humanities person and was so happy when I could get rid of them from Yr 11 and focus on maths and science! Now of course I regret being such a history/economics/politics ignoramus. If only they’d given us roasted chestnuts in those classes I might have considered sticking with them.
I love chestnuts, these look wonderful. I hated physics, chemistry, woodwork and metalwork but mainly this was down to the teachers rather than the subjects!
After reading many posts on chestnuts, I must say that I’m now rather curious and tempted to try peeling chestnuts for soups at least once. I’ve never eaten anything other than roasted chestnuts before!
Mmmm… I really wish I’d read this before I bought, cooked and ATTEMPTEd to shell my chestnuts!!! My attempt at wresting them from their shells was so pitiful that they are still lying in the tea towel in the kitchen! I think I’ll try putting them back in the oven for a short while and try to peel all over again!!
Oooh I can’t resist anything with chestnuts, but since I too insist on roasting them from scratch, have to suffer the horror they inflict on your nails when trying to peel them.
I used to come up with all manner of creative excuses to get out of P.E. Nothing much has changed really – I have to force myself to exercise so that I can reconcile my love for food with my love for fashion.
Briony xx
http://agirlastyle.wordpress.com/
Hi Rosa-thanks so much!
Hi deana-thanks Deana! I love how seasonal they are and I always look forward to chestnut season! Oooh great idea!
Hi Maria-You’re more than welcome! Yes me too!
Hi Linda-Thankyou! Hmm maybe it’s a weather thing. They seem the sometimes get mouldy quickly. I had so many notes to get me out of P.E.
Hi Blond Duck-Thankyou!
Hi Highlands Foodie-haha no way!
That’s hilarious! I want the last name Quiche with a first name like Lorraine 
I’m convinced calculus has no use in my life today 
Hi Mark-Thankyou! Yes that’s exactly what it is!
Hi Faith-thanks Faith! Hehe you and me both
Hi grace-hehe except our Christmas time is hot!
Hi Fiona-thanks!
Hi Celia-I know what you mean
definitely!
Hi Cakelaw-Yes it’s so much easier buying them shelled sometimes!
Hi Lisa-Oooh I wish we had roadside vendors that sold them! That would be brilliant! :d
Hi Krista-Oh no, that’s no good at all! I hope so!
Hi E-Hehe it’s very likely!
Hi Emily-Oh no! Exploding chestnuts!
you poor thing!
Hi Katherine-thankyou! Hehe I think that’s the normal price yes!
Hi Shan-Oh really? they’re lovely but a bit different from other nuts. Oh yes I remember some truly bizarre creations in our class too!
Yuk!
Hi http://www.brisbanebaker.bl-it‘s the law of the manicure
Yes it was a shame!
Hi Tina-I know, if only they were easier to peel
Hi Trissa-It’s the only thing I do remember
Thanks!
Hi Yuki-Oh cool!
Hi Deanna-Yes that might be a good idea! Yes they’re impossible to get out of season unless they’re the vacuum packed ones
Hi ljb-I don’t blame you, I hated it too!
haha how funny!
Hi Caz-Oh really? I had no idea! Yes they’re so hard to prise out the little buggers!
Hi john-Oh good idea! I hope you like it if you do make it!
Hi Liv-Thanks so much!
Hi Julia-Oh I know what you mean, this time was a lot easier, perhaps they were more baked or something. That inner shell is such a pain isn’t it and doesn’t taste very nice.
Hi retired foodie-You’re welcome, I hope you like it!
Hi Alex-hehe I don’t blame you, I only get struck with the urge every now and then
thankyou! yes it’s all the photos but it should be quicker now 
Hi Portuguese Kitchen-thankyou! hehe so many maths haters here (me included)
Hi 5 Star Foodie-thanks!
Hi Hannah-I know, isn’t it scrumptious!
Good mvoe-although did you have some strange recipes in Home Ec?
Hi sophia-Yep you’re right! Oh how fantastic and good as hand warmers too!
Hi jules-Hehe what a coincidence!
Oh how fabulous-what a small world indeed! 
Hi Erika-Ahh good idea!
I like it!
Hi Matilda-I know how you feel. And we use calculators. I understand we needed to know the basics but the rest of it-meh! Thankyou! Yes perhaps they’re rather variable! Oh no really? But don’t they like eating them?
Hi Gourmet Chick-Thanks so much!
Hi corrie-Aren’t they! I was surprised to see them as street food! Ahh what lovely memories!
Hi HHunt -Oh fantastic! I hope you like it
Hi Mary-Thanks so much!
Hi Anita-thankyou Anita!
Hi Liss-Fabulous! 2 kgs-wow! Your cake looks great!
xxx
Hi Cathestrophic-You’re welcome and I hope that you like it!
x
Hi kiska-That competition is still running
Hi Moya-hehe wouldn’t it be great if there were some? I think they must be quite vairable as this lot did the same whereas last year they didn’t. Hehe isn’t that funny?
Hi Phunk-Oh really! they’re sweeter and less crunchy than regular nuts
Hehe yes Geography for us was about global warming!
Hi Barbara-Thankyou so much! Hehe that’s the way I’d love to get them I think!
You are too kind! 
Hi Y-hehe well I wouldn’t recommend them as so many made it into the bin!
Hi jess-Yes isn’t that cool? Hehe I don’t remember those so maybe they were a more recent thing! He was a nice teacher I do recall
Hi Anne-Oh yes physics was near to impossible for me. I liked biology though!
Thankyou!
Hi thecoffeesnob-hehe I like to think so!
Haha but I don’t recall liking it very much then 
Hi angie-Hehe that was good if you had a male teacher! hehe have fun with them. thankyou!
Hi penny-It’s chestnut season isn’t it!
Hi SK-Indeed! Yes they make the cold much more beaerable
Hi Saphire-Oh yes I bet it would actually!
Hi Arwen-I know, best get someone else to roast and peel them methinks
Hi Johanna-An all night experience? Sounds interesting! If they’re rock hard and dry inside (or black)
Hi Conor-Hehe now wouldln’t that have made school much better?
Hi Sarah-Oh wow, we never got woodwork or metalwork!
Yes the teachers have a big influence on the enjoyment of a sbject-too much really!
Hi Celeste-Oh if you have the chance you should give them a go, they’re quite delicious!
Hi Angela-Oh you poor thing! Yes best of luck for them, they can be little buggers!
Hi Briony-Yes if only I did them after a manicure
Hehe I used to get notes as the teachers were used to our excuses 
xxx
Ah yes, cutting the essential “x” in the chestnuts before roasting. I forgot that part when I first tried roasting them and I can tell you, exploded chestnuts that are then baked on a high temperatures are very hard to clean off.
As for my worst subject – woodwork, but I did hate home economics too. I didn’t respect the skills of the teacher after she tried to get a class over of 60% Asians to cook their rice without prior washing. Tsk tsk.
Lorraine,I love it now that my iphone is compatible with your site, thankyou to Mr NQN.
I must say this was the biggest waste of a day off work I have had in ages. Cutting a cross, easy. Roasting for 20 minutes, easy. Peeling, not so easy. I must have misread the recipe because I mixed the melted butter, sugar, salt and cayenne together but it didn’t drizzle, it pooled in the bottom of the bowl. I love the seasoning but surely there must be a better nut to use. Maybe I shoud have drizzles the butter and sprinkled the rest.
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