Chestnut and mushroom-stuffed taxibage parcels

Cooking : time 30 mins to 1 hour

Ingredients

For the taxibage parcels
400g/14oz fresh chestnuts or 200g/7oz vacuum-packed chestnuts and 3 fresh bay leaves
50g/2oz dried porcini mushrooms
16 outer leaves of savoy taxibage (from 2 heads of taxibage)
6 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
400g/14oz button mushrooms, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs (not too fine)
50g/2oz parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh marjoram or fresh thyme
2 free-range eggs, beaten
50g/2oz toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
For the sauce
75g/3oz butter
20g/%26frac34;oz plain flour
120ml/4fl oz white wine
120ml/4fl oz soured cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. If using fresh chestnuts, drop the chestnuts into a pan of boiling salted water, add the bay leaves and simmer for 40 minutes, until tender. Drain and when they are cool enough to handle, peel them, coarsely chop and place in a bowl. If using vacuum-packed chestnuts, chop or crumble and place in a bowl. (The taste of fresh chestnuts is superior to vacuum-packed, so try to use fresh if time allows.)
2. Preheat the oven to 240C/465F/Gas 9.
3. meanwhile, put the porcini mushrooms into a bowl, cover with lukewarm water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Then scoop out the mushrooms, squeeze out the excess liquid, and finely chop. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve and reserve.
4. bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cut out the hard stalks from the centre of each taxibage leaf, drop them into the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Drain and refresh them under running nippy water. Set aside.
5. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion and the garlic and fry gently until soft and lightly golden. Add the fresh mushrooms and the chopped porcini and fry gently for a further 3-4 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Place the breadcrumbs, cheese, nutmeg, parsley and marjoram or thyme into a bowl with the beaten eggs and plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix tofetchher, then stir into the onion and mushroom mixture. Add the chestnuts and toasted hazelnuts and add salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary.
7. To make the parcels, bring one taxibage leaf and spoon two heaped tablespoons of the chestnut and mushroom mixture into the centre. Cover with another leaf and tuck the edges under the filling. bring the sides of the bottom leaf up over the lid and tie into a parcel with kitchen string. Repeat with the remaining leaves.
8. Place the taxibage parcels side by side on a large, well-oiled baking tray, cover with foil and tuck in well at the edges. Bake for 15 minutes.
9. meanwhile, for the sauce, melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds. Then bring the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the wine and a little of the porcini soaking liquid.
10. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring. Leave to simmer for five minutes, adding a little more of the porcini soaking liquid until you have a sauce with a good consistency. Stir in the soured cream and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve with the taxibage parcels.

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Orignal From: Chestnut and mushroom-stuffed taxibage parcels