​Serves: 8 to 10
 
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate ( at least 70% cacao)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
½ cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons for topping
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup chestnut flour
½ cup chopped cooked chestnuts*
1/3 to ½ cup sweetened chestnut purée
1 cup heavy cream, for topping
Chocolate curls or cocoa powder, for garnish
 

1. Heat oven to 375º.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl set over boiling water until chocolate is nearly completely melted, then remove from heat and whisk mixture until smooth.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks with half the sugar (¼ cup) and the salt until pale and thick.  Stir in the warm chocolate and set aside.
4. Put egg whites in a clean bowl with cream of tartar and beat until fluffy.  Add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat until whites are stiff but not dry.
5. Stir chestnut flour and chopped chestnuts into the chocolate batter, then fold in ¼ of the whites to lighten mixture.  Fold in remaining whites and scrape batter into an unbuttered 8-inch spring-form pan, smoothing top as necessary.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out almost clean.
7. Cool on a rack.  Don’t be alarmed by a bit of sinking or cracking.  When cool, run a knife around the edge of cake to free sides then remove form.  Transfer to a serving platter.
8. Using either a flat knife or a spatula, spread the chestnut puree evenly over the top of the cake.
9. To serve, whip cream with 2 tablespoons sugar to a very soft consistency. Spoon over top of cake and quickly spread with a spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate curls or cocoa powder.

 
NOTES:
*If you don’t have the time to roast and peel the chestnuts, use the vacuum-packed chestnuts.
**Cake may be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

​Makes about 5 cups – can be divided
 
28 ounces roasted, peeled chestnuts*
1 quart of whole milk
1 vanilla bean
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
 
Place the chestnuts in a large pot.  Add the milk.
Cut the vanilla bean in half and split each half down one side.  Scrape the tiny seeds from each half into the milk and chestnuts.  Place the scraped vanilla pod into the pot as well.
Add a pinch of salt to the pot.
Bring the whole to a slow simmer and cook until the chestnuts are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the vanilla bean pod and discard.
Remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon.  Reserve the flavored milk.  Place the chestnuts in a food processor and process until smooth.
As you are processing, add the flavored milk back to the chestnuts a little at a time.
Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
 
*You can use pre-roasted 

​Makes 1 – 9 inch pie
 
2 ¼ cups Chestnut Purée (see recipe below*)
6 tablespoons melted and cooled butter
1 generous tablespoon softened butter
5 extra large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons milk
3 oz. dark chocolate
Confectioner’s sugar for garnish – optional
Whipped cream
 

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Generously butter a 9 inch pie plate.
3. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl until well mixed.
4. Place the chestnut purée in a large mixing bowl.  Add the egg yolks and milk, then whip with a whisk thoroughly, incorporating as much air as possible.
5. Drizzle a little of the melted butter into the purée mixture at a time while continuing to whip it.  Repeat until all the melted butter has been blended into the mixture.  Set aside.
6. Place the egg whites in a large non-reactive bowl, copper if you have it, and using an electric whisk, whip the egg whites until they can peak at a standing point.
7. Place one large spoonful of the egg whites in the puree batter and blend it in to lighten the mixture.
8. Add the remaining egg white on top of the purée mixture.  Using a large spatula, fold the whites into the mixture gently.  While you want the whites evenly distributed, you don’t want them fully incorporated.   Ideally, there will be striations of whites throughout; its fine.
9. Place the pie on a baking sheet and put both in the oven.  Depending on your oven, the timing can vary from 30 to 40 minutes.  Take care not to let it become overly browned on the top.  If necessary, lower the heat slightly.
10. The pie will puff up considerably while baking.  When you remove it from the oven, it will settle back.  This is normal.
11. Let the pie cool on a rack for about 10 minutes.  Using a zester/grater, sprinkle the top with a couple of light layers of the dark chocolate.
12. When completely cooled, use a small, very fine meshed sieve to dust the top with confectioner’s sugar if you like.
13. Serve at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream.

 
*You can purchase sweetened Chestnut Purée in both cans and jars.  The jarred variety is infinitely better if you don’t have the time to make your own.

​Requires overnight marinade
 
Serves 8 to 10
                                                                                                                                   
Marinade & roast:
12 cardamom pods
12 juniper berries
½ navel orange, peeled, cut into pieces
1 cup dry red wine
½ cup olive oil
3 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 6-pound center-cut pork rib roast with 8 to 10 bones
 
Sauce:
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups dry red wine
1 ½ cups pitted prunes (about 10 ounces)
3/4 cup prune juice
½ cup brandy
3 cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
½ cup red currant jelly
 
For marinade:
1.Combine first 10 ingredients in blender.  Blend until spices are finely ground, about 2 minutes.
2.Place pork into a large (2 gallon) re-sealable plastic bag.  Pour marinade over pork; turn to coat.
3.Arrange bone side up and refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight.
 
For roast & sauce:
1.Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.Scrape marinade from pork.
3.Pat pork dry with paper towels.
4.Sprinkle pork generously with ½ teaspoon cardamom, salt and pepper.
5.Heat oil in large roasting pan set over 2 burners on medium heat.
6.Add pork and cook until brown, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes.
7.Add wine, prunes, prune juice, brandy, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves to pan.
8.Transfer to oven.  Roast uncovered until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of pork registers 160°F, basting often with pan juices, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
9.Transfer pork and prunes to platter.  Tent with foil.
10.Strain pan juices into large glass measuring cup.  Spoon 4 tablespoons fat off top of pan juices.
11.Pour pan juices into heavy small saucepan.  Add jelly and remaining ½ teaspoon cardamom.
12.Simmer until jelly melts and sauce lightly coats spoon, about 8 minutes.  Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve pork with sauce.
 
Note: Ask the butcher to cut into the chine bone of the rib roast to make it easier to carve.