Chestnuts, Brussel Sprouts, Roots and a Chicory Salad

GET
500g  Bamberg potatoes (German: Bamberger Hörnchen)

300g  Brussel sprouts
300g  Mugello sweet chestnuts , (Castanea sativa Mill.)

400g  Teltower Rübchen (Brassica rapa L. subsp. rapa f. teltowiensis)

3  Belgian endive/ chicory/ Witloof
A hand full of freshly cracked walnuts
Coarse mustard, some lemon


A slow food dish - steaming up a variety of regional vegetables: An old potato variety from Bamberg, Chestnuts from Tuscany, Brussel sprouts and a white regional root from Brandenburg, the Teltower Rübchen. Walnuts from old trees from Lake Constance. Chicory from Belgium. Like so many rare vegetable varieties the Bamberg potato cannot be harvested by machines.



DO
Wash vegetables, scrub potatoes and Teltower roots,  remove outer leaves from brussel sprouts, cut bottom crosswise. Steam till done to your liking.

Heat pre-roasted chestnuts (possible from the markets) in a dry pan gently. Cut skin, peel and check for bugs or blemish. They should be of ivory colour and have no holes.

Wash endive, dry leaves and pluck apart. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix mustard with lemon and add as dressing.

After the vegetables are done. Put sprouts and heated chestnuts in a bowl, sprinkle some butter/olive oil, toss and cover.

Serve all with the potatoes and Teltower roots separate and hot.

Toss chicory salad before serving and sprinkle the walnuts on top.


Image:
Sommer, Giorgio, Chestnut seller in traditional Naples costume, 1872

Savoy Cabbage Rolls

GET
10 savoy cabbage leaves (Brassica olearaea)
sea salt
1 medium onion
200g tofu
3 medium carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
200g chestnuts (Castanea sativa)
a little butter


DO
Boil cabbage leaves in hot salted water for 5 minutes. Drain them.
Cut a cross into each chestnut. Roast them in a medium dry pan for 30 minutes until soft and tasty. Peel them
Chop onion finely. Fry in oil at medium temperature for a couple of minutes.
Cut tofu into small cubes and add to the onion. Fry for 5 minutes.
Peel and grate the carrots and add to the tofu.
Chop the chestnuts and add to the tofu mix. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
Butter a casserole dish.
Lay out the savoy cabbage leaves and add 2 tbsp of the filling to each. Roll them up and arrange them in the casserole. Put some flakes of butter on them. Cover with a lid.
Bake in the oven at 200°c for 30 minutes.

Serve with steamed potatoes and a cucumber-yoghurt salad.

Useful tips

• Buy a whole small savoy cabbage. It is enough for 2 batches
• Use steamed bunya nuts in Australia if there are no chestnuts.
• Savoy cabbage leaves roll up very easily without skewers and do not have a strong cabbage taste after they are softened in boiling water. But you can use a Chinese cabbage instead of savoy if unavailable.