Autumn in Spain brings with it one of the most iconic and delicious of the seasonand they are not mushrooms, but chestnuts. Whether roasted, used in desserts or added to the stews our grandmothers would make, they are a true delicacy.
However, we all know how quickly they can spoil if we do not preserve them properly, and neither the fruit bowl nor the refrigerator are the best options if you want to enjoy their flavor for longer. The key is in the freezerbut not in any way because first you have to peel and cook the chestnuts.
How to prepare them to freeze
The first step to preserving chestnuts properly is choose the best on the markettaking those that are fresh, without holes or imperfections that make one suspect that they have a worm inside.
Once we have them, we have to make a small cut in the shell to make it easier to peel. Then we put them soak for at least a couple of hoursand after this time, we cook them in boiling water for about 2 or 3 minutes to finish softening the shell, but also to eliminate any impurities they may have.
Finally, we drain them and let them cool for a while so we can handle them without burning ourselves. Carefully, we remove the outer shell and skin that covers the fruit to leave them completely clean and ready to freeze.
To freeze them, we have to Put the chestnuts in zip-type bags. or in airtight containers. In addition, air must be extracted from the bags to avoid the formation of ice crystals that could degrade the texture and flavor.
An extra trick is to make different bags with chestnuts to separate them into portions and thus defrost only the necessary amount.
How long can they stay in the freezer?
By freezing chestnuts, we can keep them in perfect condition for a maximum of six monthswhich allows us to enjoy their flavor far beyond their short season, being able to add them to sweet recipes, purees, stews, etc.
Also, something that is very seasonal is eating roasted chestnuts, and they can also be cooked this way once they are completely thawed.
It is important to remember that, although frozen chestnuts retain their properties quite well, time is not eternal. So, to enjoy all its benefits, It is recommended to consume them before for six months to passthat is why we must put the date on which we put them in the freezer on the ‘zip’ bag, or on the airtight container.
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