Chestnut Stuffing

This is a beautiful stuffing, with a really distinctive flavour. You don't have to stuff it into anything, it's great baked on its own in a tray.

I don't usually bother with buying fresh chestnuts; often they're bad (so you need to buy lots more than you need), there's a lot of waste and its fiddly to peel them. Dried chestnuts are much easier.

If using fresh chestnuts, then make a puree as follows: boil the chestnuts for 2 minutes to soften the skins. Peel them whilst they are still hot; make sure you remove not just the hard shell, but the thin brown skin too.

I don't usually bother soaking the dried nuts, before use. Simmer the peeled or dried nuts in a little milk for 40-60 minutes (CARE: they will easily burn on the bottom) until they are really soft. You will need to add more milk periodically.

Mash the nuts and mix the puree with the other ingredients; only brief cooking is required. If you roast the stuffing on its own, put it in a flat dish and add some oil. For added crunch, sprinkle some sunflower seeds on top.