Chestnut Sauce for Fowls or Turkey is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic sauce of chestnuts in a white stock base that's finished with cream. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Chestnut Sauce for Fowls or Turkey.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
CHESTNUT SAUCE FOR FOWLS OR TURKEY.
390. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of chestnuts, 1/2 pint of white stock, 2 strips of lemon-peel, cayenne to taste, 1/4 pint of cream or milk.
Mode.—Peel off the outside skin of the chestnuts, and put them into boiling water for a few minutes; take off the thin inside peel, and put them into a saucepan, with the white stock and lemon-peel, and let them simmer for 1-1/2 hour, or until the chestnuts are quite tender. Rub the whole through a hair-sieve with a wooden spoon; add seasoning and the cream; let it just simmer, but not boil, and keep stirring all the time. Serve very hot; and quickly. If milk is used instead of cream, a very small quantity of thickening may be required: that, of course, the cook will determine.
Time.—Altogether nearly two hours. Average cost, 8d.
Sufficient, this quantity, for a turkey.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
225g chestnuts
300ml white stock
2 thinly-pared strips of lemon zest
cayenne pepper, to taste
150ml cream or milk
Method:
Cut through the skins of the chestnuts then either boil briefly or bake in an oven. Cool then peel off the skins and remove the papery husks. Combine the peeled chestnuts in a pan with the white stock and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes, or until the chestnuts are very tender. Rub the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve to purée then pour into a clean pan.
Mix in the cream (or milk) and add cayenne pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, then take off the heat and serve immediately (if you are using milk rather than cream then you might need to add a little cornflour as thickening).
