Chestnut, Walnut & Fennel Sauté
Yield
6
RECIPE Ingredients
- 1½ cups Ready-to-Use Chestnuts
- 20 pearl onions, blanched and peeled
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons Black Truffle Butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 fennel bulb, cut into fine julienne, fronds reserved
- 4 shallots, cut lengthwise into eighths
- ½ cup walnut halves
- Duck and Veal Demi-Glace, as needed
- Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Recipe notes
This recipe, inspired by Joël Robuchon, uses our already-prepared chestnuts, black truffle butter and demi-glace to create a flavorful side dish. It's one of Ariane's favorites at the holidays.
RECIPE Preparation
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter each in two medium sauté pans over medium-high heat. Add the onions to one and the chestnuts to the other and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and chestnuts have started to turn golden brown. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle each pan with 1 tablespoon sugar. Continue cooking the vegetables, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until evenly glazed and caramelized. Set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons truffle butter in a large skillet over high heat and add shallots. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the shallots are translucent, one to two minutes. Add fennel and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring frequently, until the fennel and shallots have started to color. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Add glazed chestnuts and onions to the pan with the shallots and fennel and cook everything together for another minute or so. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add demi-glace by the tablespoon-full if the mixture seems dry. You may not need the demi-glace. Stir in walnuts and reserved fennel fronds and serve.
