PAKARAKA FARM'S FAMOUS PANFRIED CHESTNUTS

This is the recipe I’ve learned from

our farm partners Harry Parke and the late Jeanette Fitzsimons. Every autumn, chestnuts from the farm are sold at our stall at the Thames Saturday Market. It is a simple but truly delicious and satisfying way to enjoy chestnuts. Here is how we make them:

Peel the chestnuts.

Cut any big nuts you see in half, so that they are all relatively even in size.

Put the nuts in a pot of boiling water, bring the water back to the boil and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, then drain.

Heat a pan or pot. Once hot, pour in a generous amount of oil. We use olive oil or coconut oil, but any oil will work according to your preference.

Pour the chestnuts into the pan and stir the nuts gently (to avoid breaking) for about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Once the nuts are golden, they are ready to be removed. Best enjoyed while hot.