Salad dressing is just for starters when you cook with elegant nut oils.
January 2007
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Recipes With Nut Oils
New Ways To Add Excitement To Favorite Foods
We spent several weeks cooking everything with La Tourangelle gourmet nut oils. You can read about our own creations in our review of La Tourangelle. Here are recipes from the company—with many more on their website.
Almond Hummus Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup almond oil
- 3 tablespoons almonds
- 2 19-ounce cans of chickpeas
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2/3 cup tahini, well-stirred
- 2/3 cup water
- 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Parsley sprigs for garnish
- Toasted pita wedges
Directions |
Almond Hummus. |
- In a colander rinse and drain chickpeas.
- Puree all the ingredients in a food processor and refrigerate in a covered bowl.
- Recipe may be prepared up to this point 3 days ahead.
- Serve hummus garnished with parsley sprigs and pita toasts. Makes about 4 cups
Bruschetta With Brie & Walnut Oil Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound thinly-sliced prosciutto, cut into two-inch squares
- ½ pound brie, cut into thin
wedges
- 2 ripe pears, cored, quartered and
cut lengthwise in thin slices
- 3 tablespoons walnut oil
- 1 baguette
Directions
- Cut the baguette into thin slices crosswise. Cover each piece of baguette with a piece of prosciutto, a piece of pear and a wedge of the brie.
- Toast under a broiler or in a toaster oven until the cheese is golden brown. Remove and drizzle with walnut oil. Serve hot.
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Bruschetta with brie and walnut oil. |
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer.
Citrus-Hazelnut Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- Grated peel of 1 orange
- 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 scallions, white parts only,
minced
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
in a mortar or under a spoon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons hazelnut oil
- 1 tablespoon chives, sliced into
narrow rounds
- 1 tablespoon chervil or fennel
leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley, finely
chopped
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Fig and prosciutto salad with Citrus-Hazelnut
Vinaigrette. |
Directions
- Put the orange peel, orange juice, lemon juice and vinegar in a bowl with the salt, scallions and crushed fennel seeds.
- Whisk in the oils, then the herbs. Taste, and adjust any of the ingredients as necessary.
Hazelnut or Walnut Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups basil leaves
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons hazelnuts
(walnuts)
- 3 tablespoons grated
parmesan
cheese
- ½ cup hazelnut (walnut) oil
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Purée the ingredients until smooth in a food processor.
- Serve immediately as a bread dipper or pasta sauce, or refrigerate covered.
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Hazelnut Pesto. |
Jerusalem Artichoke*, Oyster Mushroom & Hazelnut Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 oz whole hazelnuts
- 1 small head of frisée
- 1 bunch watercress
- 4 ounces mâche
- 8 large Jerusalem artichokes
- ½ pound oyster mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh
thyme
- 1 teaspoon chopped
parsley
- 4 tablespoons hazelnut oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
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Above, Jerusalem artichokes, or sunchokes. Photo, courtesy of Friedas.com. Below, mâche. |
Directions
 Put the hazelnuts on a tray and bake in the oven at 390°F until the skins go dark brown and crack. Remove and place in a tea towel; gather up the sides and rub the nuts together to remove the skins. Open the tea towel and pick out the skinned nuts. Roughly chop the nuts and set to one side. - Wash the frisée, watercress and mâche, wrap in a cloth and refrigerate.
- Peel the artichokes into smooth barrel shapes, dropping them into cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning, as you prepare them. Cut into ¼" rounds and steam for 5 minutes; remove and set aside.
- Sauté the oyster mushrooms in the olive oil and, when golden, add the thyme and parsley and remove from the heat.
- Whisk the hazelnut oil and balsamic vinegar together; season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange the salad leaves on four plates, arrange the oyster mushrooms on top, then the Jerusalem artichokes. Scatter the nuts on top. Drizzle the vinaigrette over and around the salad. Serve immediately.
*Jerusalem artichokes are also called sunchokes: They are not artichokes but the root of a native North American sunflower plant. They have a thin skin that covers their knobby shape and a crisp-crunchy texture. They have a nutty, sweet, slightly mild artichoke flavor. They can be eaten raw, boiled and mashed, roasted, or in soups, stews, or stir-frys.
Festive Salad With Raspberry Walnut Oil Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup dried raspberries or
cranberries†
- 1 red onion
- Interesting greens
For dressing:
- 1 part raspberry vinegar
- 2 parts walnut oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Directions |
Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette. |
- Toast walnuts over high heat in a sauté pan; toss frequently and remove when fragrant.
- Cut onion into 1/8" slices and soak in ice water for ½ hour or more to remove bite; drain well.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients.
- Wash and dry greens. Add nuts, berries and onion; then toss with dressing. Serve immediately.
†If you can’t find dried raspberries locally, they are available from Stoneridge Orchards.
Walnut Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients ~ Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground dried ginger
- 2 cups sugar
- 1-1/4 cups roasted walnut oil
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups grated peeled carrots
- 1-1/4 cups coarsely-chopped
walnuts
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Walnut Carrot Cake. |
Directions ~ Icing
- 10 ounces cream cheese
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 12 walnut halves for garnish
Directions ~ Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper or parchment. Butter and flour paper. Remove excess flour.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat sugar and oil until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. Divide mixture between prepared pans.
- Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10-15 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper; cool cakes completely.
Directions ~ Icing and Assembly
- Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until airy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until combined. Add maple syrup and beat. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.
- Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup icing. Top with second layer. Spread remaining icing over entire cake.
- Arrange walnut halves around top edge. Serve at room temperature. This cake will keep one day in the refrigerator. Makes 12 servings.
Walnut Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- Popcorn kernels
- Walnut oil
- Toasted or candied walnut halves
(optional)
Directions
- Air-pop popcorn.
- Toss with roasted walnut oil and add salt to taste.
- Mix in walnut halves.
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Walnut Popcorn. |
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