FOOD FOR THOUGHT | Chef Richard Learmonth champions the flavours and benefits of chestnuts

It's a special time of year for the region and our restaurants and cellar doors have rightly been jam-packed with visitors partaking in our fabulous wine and food.

Besides the glamorous fruit and vegetables, or pasture raised meats, that straddle the changing seasons, autumn is also the time to shine for the humble chestnut.

David and Margaret Ogilvy established Brittle Jacks Chestnut Farm in 1973 on their Mullion Creek property sitting at an altitude of 1000 meters.

Like many growers in the region they've been struck by the effects of climate change.

"There's a clear climate change trend," David tells me.

"We are definitely ready a few weeks earlier than we used to be."

The Brittle Jacks farm was grown over the years to 500 trees representing eight different varieties of chestnut. That number has dropped to nearer 250 now as the trees have grown bigger and more crowded.

A shift towards semi-retirement means supplying tonnes to major wholesalers has changed to satisfying local traders such as The Agrestic Grocer, as well as "pick your own" and farm gate sales.

There are eight different varieties growing at Brittle Jacks Chestnut farm. With a variety of ripening times this extends the length of a season that typically runs from early March to the end of April.

Each variety also has specific properties such as the French Bouche de Betizac which is celebrated for its size, the easy-peeling Purton's Pride, and the sweet and rich Di Coppa Marone from North Italy which is purported to be the best roasting chestnut in the world.

Chestnuts have been cultivated by man since around 2000 BC. Particularly before the introduction of potatoes into Europe chestnuts served as the main source of carbohydrates for many forest adjacent communities, especially those without access to wheat flour.

Alexander the Great and the ancient Roman Empire planted chestnut trees across Europe while on their various campaigns.

In North America chestnuts were a staple food for indigenous people, and for three centuries, most barns and homes east of the Mississippi River were made from chestnut wood.

East Asia also has native species that have been celebrated in cultural rituals for millenia. Unlike most nuts they have little protein or fat and their calories come chiefly from carbohydrates.

They are the only nuts that contain vitamin C, and also provide high levels of dietary fiber, minerals, 'good' fats, nutrients, antioxidants and other important components that make up a healthy diet.

The spikey `burr' that encases the nut may look intimidating but when ripe they fall to the ground, split and peel away easily.

The nuts can be opened by making a small incision in the shell with a knife, so as to allow steam to escape.

The nuts can then be heated in an oven or a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or so.

The outer shell should peel off easily and the pellicle, a thin fibrous layer of skin, can also be peeled away from the nut while still warm. Besides great taste and a long list of health benefits, chestnuts are also extremely versatile with applications to both sweet and savoury cooking.

They can be ground into a flour for baking, candied for a sweet snack, pureed into a rich and delicious soup, or chopped into salads and salsas.

10 x Prosciutto slices (pancetta or thin bacon both work well)

2kg Fatty pork mince (ask the butcher for it to be coarsely ground)

180g Peeled chestnuts

125 ml Brandy

40g Salt

10g White peppercorns

2 x Juniper berries

1 x Clove

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