What do you like to eat during the fall? What is your favorite side dish? Are you looking for new and seasonal recipes? Or are you simply out of ideas? I got you! Take a look at my healthy, simple and seasonal Braised Chestnut and Fennel recipe.
I personnaly love to eat this side dish as if it were a main dish. But it can also be amazingly paired with a roasted turkey or pork. It is healthy and comforting at the same time, which is perfect for picky eaters!
My family has cooked this recipe for many generations. My grandmother and mother cook this dish during the holiday season and on Christmas, paired with a stuffed turkey. A total delishhh!
French people do not celebrate Thanksgiving, but this is perhaps the most appropriate French side dish to pair with a Thanksgiving turkey!
However, finding fresh chestnuts can be a real challenge depending on where you live. In France, the weather gets quite cold and chestnut trees grow everywhere. Chestnuts are very easy to find and cheap too! But if you’re like me and live in a more tropical climate, you might have to compromise and buy them in cans. Well… We do what we can!
If you’re looking for other seasonal recipes for autumn and winter, don’t forget to check out my other cold-weather dishes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. If you make my Braised Chestnut and Fennel recipe, take a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see your cooking! Also, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe!
1. In a large pan or stewpan, stirfry the fennel, onions, and slices of carrots in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer on low for about an hour. 2. Meanwhile, prepare the chestnuts: split the skins of the chestnuts with a serrated knife (but don't cut the actual chestnut), put a dozen in a small saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. When it boils, remove the pan from the heat and peel the chestnuts: the skins will easily remove. 3. Once the fennel, carrots, and onions have simmered for at least 50 minutes, add the chestnuts in the pan and let it simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. The chestnuts should be soft and fragrant. 4. Serve with a roasted pork, turkey, or chicken. If you cannot find fresh chestnuts, feel free to use canned or jarred roasted chestnuts. I live in Florida and there are no fresh chestnuts anywhere, so I had to use the canned chestnuts. Yes, it very unfortunate, but at the same time there is no way I am going to deprive my family of this delicious traditional and seasonal French dish!
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes