yes, i was wrong, they are chestnuts, i never even named them... seen them many times, even served up on grills on the street in the balkans but never ate them, and suddenly around the corner from me the shop has a crate full of them so i say "cook me up some of these pls"
I love them! I’m about to roast some. Bought them after seeing your post.
yes, roast seems the best way boiled is ok though, in salty water
I briefly boil them, then roast. Cold water, bring to boil, roast 20min. Tender inside, but with that wonderful roasted flavor and a bit of a crunch here and there
I think I will need to try just bbq. I saw them sold on street corners in Budapest and Sofia in winter, usually on charcoal or gas. I like charcoal. Boiled they are nice but I prefer a bit of crunch. Horse chestnuts are an Asian staple and I like the texture of them. I can't really eat a lot though. But it reminds me I should eat more from the batch I have in the fridge. Overall I think they are a nice side dish. They grow everywhere in the temperate zone. I remember walking past gazillions of them along the main street of some town in central-eastern Italy also. Idk why I confused them with hazelnuts but they are about the same colour.