Chestnuts and chicken thigh in Chinese soya sauce

This is something I made few weeks ago when it was last chestnuts; marrons were available.  The outcome of the dish was great but I realized that I cannot used the foods in the end of the season for the things like chestnuts.  What is so difficult is as you know, to peel the skin of the marrons.  There is a technique to peal the hard skin and the inside skin of the marrons easily but it doesn't really work if they are not fresh.

This is marrons, chicken thigh and carrots cooked in chinese wine, sugar and chinese dark soya sauce.  Chinese dark soya sauce has darker color but less saltiness compares to Japanese soya sauce.  It's flavor is special as well.  Overall marrons and chicken goes very well together.

「栗と鶏腿の老抽甘辛煮」これは一月程前、まだ栗が買えたころに作ったもの。この季節の終わりの栗が甘みが低く、コクコクとした食感が煮物にはとても美味しかった。しかしこの栗は日が経った物だったのか、皮を剥くのが異常に大変だった。通常熱湯で３分程茹でてそのまま湯に浸しておくと鬼皮までツルンと剥けるのだが、古い栗には通用しないようだ。

これは鶏のもも肉、栗、人参を紹興酒、老抽、ブラウンシュガーで甘辛く炊いたもの。老抽は色が濃いため見た目は辛そうだが、そうでもない。白ご飯に良く合うおかず。今時期ならさつまいもで代用しても美味しいと思う。