Parsnip and Chestnut puree

Staying with a Christmassy theme, here's another recipe that has gone down very well and is a great alternative to mash.  Beware though, although parsnips have less carb than potato, they're not much less so if you're watching the carbs small portions are in order.  Also, as there's both butter and cream in this too, it's only for special occasions!

Ingredients
4 good size parsnips
100g chestnuts
20g butter
Double cream to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Peel and cut the parsnips into 1-2cm square by 4cm strips (it doesn't really matter as you're just boiling them) then put them into a pan of boiling slightly salted water and cook until nice and soft.

Drain and add them to the food processor with all of the chestnuts and the butter.  Blend until you have a nice puree adding some double cream to get the right consistency.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then leave aside.  Just before serving, heat through in the microwave for a couple of minutes on full to bring it back to piping hot.

Brussles tops with chestnut

Here's a nice seasonal dish, I've cooked this several times now and everyone loves it.  It's easy to do and most greengrocers will do Brussels tops.  Supermarkets will probably do them, I've no idea.

Ingredients
3 good sized Brussels tops
6 chestnuts shelled and peeled
A good knob of butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Take the leaves off all the Brussels tops and cut out the hard centre stalk.  when you get to the middle you'll come across what looks like a large loose leaved sprout, set this aside for later.  When you've cut out the stalks, bundle the leaves together and then slice across into 2-3mm strips.  Do the same with the large sprout, cutting cross the top to about half way down.  Put the shreds into a colander and wash well, then leave to drain.

Chop the chestnuts into small dice (use the vacuum packed ones that are already cooked, otherwise you'll need to bake or boil them for 5 mins or so until softened through).  Add a generous knob of butter to a frying pan (not too much or it gets too oily) and once this has melted, throw all the ingredients into the plan and stir fry for about 30 seconds to a minute depending on taste.

Serve as a side dish with anything you fancy, it's  great way to get the greens up and boost your iron levels.