Nuts: some people love them, others not so much. With all the allergy awareness out there these days, we may forget the health benefits and great qualities nuts have to offer. Delicious as a heart-healthy snack, nuts are full of omega-3’s, fiber, vitamin E, and monounsaturated fats. They are particularly useful as a protein for vegetarians and vegans. They add crunch and texture to soups, salads, baked goods, pastas, and other savory dishes including fish, chicken, and meat.
Nuts are delicious raw, but when roasted or toasted the flavor is intensified and they get a nice crunchy texture. For baking, nuts can be left raw, but when cooking with nuts it is best to roast them first. Nuts toast quickly, so watch carefully not to burn them. Roast nuts in a 275°F oven for 10–12 minutes or toast them in a dry skillet over a medium-low flame for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan to toss them until they are golden brown.
Here are some of the more popular varieties of nuts:
Peanuts. Technically, peanuts are legumes, like beans and peas, but considered nuts because of the way they’re used. Packed with the most protein of all nuts, they are available all year round and are inexpensive. They can be eaten raw, roasted, and even boiled. They’re especially popular in the form of peanut butter, combined with jelly and made into a sandwich.
Almonds. Almonds have a slightly sweet flavor and are lower in fat than other nuts. They are available whole to snack on, sliced or slivered to toss in salads, and blanched. They can be ground into flour and used for flourless cakes, popular on Passover. They’re available in liquid as a milk substitute and, like peanuts, can also be made into a butter. Other products, such as almond extract and paste, lend a stronger almond flavor to baked goods.
Walnuts. Sold in their shell or shelled, walnuts are used often in baking because they are slightly bitter and are a good contrast to sweet flavors. They can also be sugarcoated and tossed in salads for a crunchy, sweet addition.
Pistachios. The pistachios is also considered a nut but is technically something else—a seed. They come in their shell for snacking or shelled for easier use in baking and cooking. Pistachios are used to make desserts such as halvah and baklava, but can also be used in savory dishes like chicken and meats, especially lamb.
Hazelnuts. Also known as filberts, hazelnuts are great paired with chocolate, especially in spreads like Nutella. You can eat them raw but they are best roasted with the bitter skin removed. They are good in cakes, salads, and stuffings and even as a soup topping.
Cashews. Cashews are popular in many different cuisines, such as Indian and Thai. They add crunch and texture to dishes without an overpowering flavor. These nuts can also be made into a butter as a delicious alternative to peanut or almond butters.
Pecans. One of the sweeter nuts, pecans are grown in North America and used for many desserts, especially in Southern cuisine. They can be roasted, sautéed in butter, used for a snack or garnish as well.
Pine nuts. Also known as pignoli, these small nuts come from pine trees and are mostly imported from Italy and China. Pine nuts are soft and chewy in their raw state, and become a little crunchier when roasted. They are used in pesto and salads, and can be made into piecrusts as well. v
Pistachio-Crusted Salmon
Ingredients:
1 side (2–3 lb.) baby salmon or wild salmon with skin
juice of 2 lemons
4 Tbsp. whole-grain or stone-ground mustard
1 cup shelled pistachios
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp. canola oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place salmon, skin side down, on baking sheet. Mix lemon juice and mustard together and coat salmon with mixture. Grind pistachios coarsely in food processor or blender. Combine with panko and oil; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle mixture evenly over salmon and bake 15–20 minutes until cooked through. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving.
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