Awww... Nuts!
We really love all nuts and they are so good for you. I make nutty granola, snack and trail mixes, spicy and savory roasted nuts. We embellish salads, pastas and grain dishes, and certainly try to add them to many types of baked goods. I've made pesto using almonds, cashews, macadamias and walnuts, as well as the traditional pine nuts. I have thought about making my own nut butters, but haven't attempted to as yet.
Any suggestions for new nut treatments? Recipes for any favorite dishes featuring nuts? We are not vegetarians, however normally go meat-free a day or two a week. I'd appreciate any of your special recs for this great protein source. Thanks!
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9 Comments:
I recently made marzipan for the first time, and it was a revelation. I left the almond skins on, which gave it a nice earthy quality, and I used about half of the suggested amount of sugar and twice the lemon juice, so the almond flavour was really dominant and it was only mildly sweet. I then, of course, gilded the lily by cutting it into decorative shapes and dipping it in orange-scented chocolate, but still it felt a bit virtuous.
I frequently make the mushroom pecan burgers from the Moosewood Restaurant site: http://www.moosewoodrestaurant.com/recipes_archive.html#26
They are really delicious, and it's a great recipe to play around with. I've used different kinds of nuts, different herbs, etc.
I also think it's worth the little bit of effort that it takes to make proper romesco sauce at home. I like the recipe from the Moro cookbook, by Sam and Sam Clarke:
1 large tomato (1/2 lb),
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and loose skins rubbed off
2 tablespoons blanched almonds
1 (1/2-inch-thick) slice firm white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1/8 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/4 cup drained bottled pimientos, rinsed (you can also make your own if you like)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a small baking pan with foil.
Roast tomato in pan until tender and skin peels off easily, about 30 minutes.
While tomato is roasting, slit chile open lengthwise and discard stem and seeds, then tear chile into small pieces. Heat oil in an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then add chile and cook, stirring, until fragrant and chile turns a brighter red, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer chile with a slotted spoon to a heatproof bowl. Add hazelnuts to skillet along with almonds, bread, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until bread and garlic are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mixture (including oil) to chile in bowl and cool slightly.
Peel tomato, then coarsely chop and transfer (with juices) to a food processor. Add bread and chile mixture, pimientos, water, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and purée until smooth. Thin with water if desired and season with salt.
Hope that provides some inspiration.
caley at 8:09AM on 04/12/08
Union Square Cafe Bar nuts! Sooooo good, I couldn't believe it. I got the recipe via Nigella, but then adapted it ever so slightly (think my only change was a different mix and buying unshelled nuts):
http://littlebouffe.blogspot.com/2007/11/union-square-cafes-bar-nuts.html
I noted it there, but next time I really want to try it with the candied bacon idea from the NYTimes.
renzata at 11:26AM on 04/12/08
I've made a recipe for years - chicken with green peppers and pecans. I absolutely love it. It came from the very first Canadian Living cookbook. Basically it's a lemon piccatta with LOADS of garlic, butter, and green peppers topped with toasted pecans. Yum. I make it every year for my birthday (which is coming up very soon!)
Maureen at 11:47AM on 04/12/08
I do a simple pistachio crusted salmon. Just chop the nuts fine in a food processor, dredge the salmon fillets in the nuts and sautee in olive oil. Great flavor!
jonfoxx at 11:59AM on 04/12/08
When I was growing up, my mom made "celery casserole" which was mosly celery, with onions, chicken, almonds, crunchy chow mien noodles, and plain yogurt with a can of cream of celery soup to hold it together. The almonds provided a nice texture.
I also bake brown or mixed rice (a la AB) with stock instead of water and add almonds for flavor and crunch.
And of course, the old standard chicken salad sandwich isn't complete without nuts of some sort.
sarahj at 1:56PM on 04/12/08
You could make Kaju Burfi (squares of cashew butter, sugar, clarified butter, and cardamom). Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
2 cups of cashew nuts soaked in water for 2 hours
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
silver foil (optional)
Method
Drain and blend the cashews to a fine paste.
Use as little water as possible when blending.
In a heavy saucepan put sugar and paste.
Cook on slow to medium heat.
Cook stirring continuously till a soft lump is formed.
Add ghee and cardamom powder and mix well.
Spread on a clean greased worksurface.
Roll lightly with a rolling pin, to 1/8" thickness.
Apply the silver foil.
Cool, cut into diamond shaped burfis.
Most commonly left to sweet shops in India, but not very challenging to make (if you can find the ghee).
browntown at 2:25PM on 04/12/08
Maureen that sounds awesome, and I plan to keep it in mind for myself.
renzata at 2:25PM on 04/12/08
Swedish Nuts
The mixture of almonds, pecans and walnuts mixed with sugar, salt and egg whites are a fantastic dish to put out for guests to nibble on before the big meal is served.
Ingredients
1 C. whole almonds
1/2 C. butter or margarine
2 egg whites
1 C. sugar
dash salt
1 C. pecan halves
1 C. walnut halves
Directions
Spread almonds on a cookie sheet and roast at 325 degrees until lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally; cool. Melt butter in oven in a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Beat egg whites until foamy; add sugar and salt, and continue beating until stiff. Fold in all of nuts; spread mixture in baking pan over melted butter. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes or until mixture is browned and all the butter is absorbed, stirring and turning every 10 minutes to cook evenly.
Makes about 4 Cups
Hillary
Chew On That
Chew on That at 10:53AM on 04/18/08
I guess this would be the time and place to share my famous, secret family recipe for Sugared Walnuts, huh?
LoCo at 11:11AM on 04/18/08