How to prepare chestnuts

Take a handful of chestnuts. Five or six nuts should be enough.

Cut each chestnut in half. Place the chestnut on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to slice it. Halving the chestnuts will allow them to cook faster.

Use the "potato" setting to roast chestnuts in the microwave. The method for preparing chestnuts is quite similar to that for potatoes. It will take about 2-5 minutes, depending on your microwave’s power.

Enjoy. You can bite into the chestnut to make it crack open and eat it, or use a small spoon to scoop the chestnut out.

Preheat the oven to 205ºC.

Make an "X" mark on the flat side of each chestnut. Use a sharp knife to make the cuts. This will help the chestnuts cook faster and allow steam to escape from them. Alternatively, you can use a fork to poke several holes in each chestnut.

Place the chestnuts on a baking tray. You can place them directly on the oven rack, with the X-marked side facing up. Sprinkle a little water over them to help them cook more evenly.

Roast the chestnuts for about 15-20 minutes. Roast until the chestnuts are soft and the skins peel off easily. While roasting, stir the chestnuts every few minutes with a spoon or spatula to prevent them from burning. Remove the chestnuts from the oven once they're done.

Press the chestnut shells. Wait for 2-3 minutes for the chestnuts to cool slightly, then wrap them in a cloth and squeeze until the shells break open. Let them rest in the cloth for another 5 minutes.

Peel the chestnuts. Peeling the chestnuts while they're still warm will make the process easier. Remove both the outer shell and the inner skin. If any chestnuts are difficult to peel, you can roast them for a few more minutes.

Enjoy the taste while the chestnuts are still soft and hot.

Wash the chestnuts under cold running water to remove any dirt.

Make a slit in the chestnut shell before placing them in the pan.

Place the chestnuts in the cast-iron pan with the flat side down.

Prepare the fire. Make sure there's a bed of glowing embers to place the pan on, whether it's from a stove or a campfire.

Place the pan on the embers for 5 minutes. This time is enough to roast one side of the chestnuts. Shake the pan gently every minute or so to ensure even heat distribution.

Flip the chestnuts. After five minutes, use a pot holder to carefully lift the pan, flip the chestnuts, and place it back on the fire.

Enjoy. Once the chestnuts are fully roasted, wait about 2-3 minutes for them to cool slightly, then savor them while they're still soft and hot.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Make an 'X' cut on one or two sides of each chestnut. Use a sharp knife to make an 'X' mark on the chestnut's shell. This step helps the chestnuts cook more quickly. While boiled chestnuts may not have the same rich aroma and flavor, this is the fastest way to soften them.

Boil the chestnuts for 5-10 minutes.

Let the chestnuts cool down for a while. Wait for at least 2-3 minutes until the chestnuts are cool enough to handle.

Peel off the shell and inner skin.

Enjoy! You can eat the chestnuts as they are, or add half a teaspoon of cinnamon and a tablespoon of melted butter for extra flavor.

• If your microwave doesn't have a 'potato' setting, you might hear the chestnuts sizzle. Let them sizzle for about 1 minute.

• Do not place chestnuts in the microwave and walk away. Due to their low moisture content, chestnuts can catch fire and produce excessive smoke if microwaved for too long.

• a handful of chestnuts
• a knife
• a cutting board
• microwave