Adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cuisine by Rose Elliot (Pantheon)
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Tablespoons butter (or grapeseed oil for Dairy Free Option)
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 1 kg peeled chestnuts (purchase here)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Fresh gluten free breadcrumbs (optional)
- Sea Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
FOR COATING:
Dried gluten free breadcrumbs
METHOD:
- Melt the butter (or grapeseed oil) and saute the onion and celery over moderate heat for 10 minutes until soft but not brown. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Steam the peeled chestnuts for 15 minutes and then drain and add to the bowl. Mix these ingredients together well.
- Mash the chestnuts, onion and celery, then mix into the bowl the chopped parsley, lemon juice, and garlic. The mixture should be soft but firm enough to form into a roll, so add a few gluten free breadcrumbs, if necessary.
- Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Pour a little of the oil into a roasting pan and put into the oven to heat.
- Form the chestnut mixture into a roll about 20cm / 8 inches long, pressing it together carefully, then coat it well with the dried breadcrumbs. Put the chestnut roll into the roasting pan and carefully turn it so that it is coated with hot oil.
- Bake for 45 minutes, until it is crisp on the outside, spooning a little more of the oil over the roll from time to time during the cooking.
Serve the chestnut roast cut into slices.
