Crostini are an Italian appetizer consisting of small slices of grilled or toasted bread and toppings. The best time to forage for chestnuts is late autumn / early winter in the woods around Kent. Gorse flowers have bright yellow flowers and are edible raw. They continually flower all year round.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Slit the shells on the bottom of each chestnut in a cross. Bake until the shells split open – this usually takes about half an hour. (I like to shake the tin every 10 minutes to check on them.) Then cool and remove them from their shell before finely chopping.
2. Trim the ends of the baguette and cut it into slices about 2cm thick. Place on a large baking sheet and bake or grill until lightly toasted. Rub each slice of baguette lightly with the whole garlic clove and brush with some rapeseed oil.
3. Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan, add the chopped garlic and cook for one minute, next add the mushrooms and chestnuts then fry until hot all the way through.
4. Stir in the parsley and tarragon and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Spoon the filling over the toasted baguette and serve with a bright yellow gorse flower on each one.