Once you get past salads, desserts, eastern cooking and pesto, the general knowledge or interest of cooking with nuts begins to dwindle. But that doesn’t have to be the case.
For those looking to expand their familiarity and comfort of cooking with the fruit, (yes, nuts are considered a fruit), consider the latest title from Susan Herrmann Loomis, renowned chef and food writer. In "Nuts in the Kitchen," the author of "On Rue Tatin" lays out some of her favorite nut-based recipes that go beyond the traditional. How about Parsnip and Walnut Fricassee? Or Quinoa, Hazelnut and Cornmeal Pancakes? Or even your own homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread?
Nuts in the Kitchen even goes beyond the titular ingredient to help expand the reader’s skillset in the home kitchen. Looking for that perfect tart pastry dough or roasted red pepper recipe? Look no further.
The soft cover first edition of "Nuts in the Kitchen" exudes an understated elegance. No bells or whistles in this book, just 238 pages of recipes for every occasion and level of expertise. No eye-popping full page glossy color photos to be found here. But one of the joys of following along with Susan Herrmann Loomis is finding your own way on your journey through the kitchen.
Nuts in the Kitchen: More Than 100 Recipes for Every Taste an Occasion by Susan Herrmann Loomis, William Morrow Cookbooks $21.99 on sale now
Heavenly Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
The title says it all, and yes, I was inspired by Nutella to make this luscious spread. I adore Nutella, and this is even better, more richly flavored, more elegant. And it makes a relatively small quantity, so it is something to truly savor, every single mouthful.
Nutella is that sinfully rich chocolate and hazelnut spread that Mr. Pietro Ferrero, an Italian candy magnate from Piemonte, Italy, developed after World War II. Chocolate was in short supply and taxes on it were high, so to extend it Mr. Ferrero ground the sweet local toned gentile hazelnut to a paste and added it to the chocolate. He had a model to follow, for giandujotti, small hazelnut confections in the mid 1800s, had already made Turin candymakers famous throughout Italy.
Mr. Ferrero’s chocolate extender took the form of a Velveeta-like block, ready for slicing and slapping between two pieces of bread. It wasn’t until several years later that Mr. Ferrero turned his mixture into one of spreadable consistency. Sometime later he and his colleagues renamed it Nutella. Today, it’s popularity knows no bounds, and it is available in everything from tiny tablespoon-sizd containers to giant 2-pound jars.
Note: This spread is as addictive as its inspiration. I add 5 tablespoons of cocoa to the mixture, which gives it a very satisfying chocolate and hazelnut flavor – you may want to add a bit more or a bit less.
I call for neutral oil here, which gives it a lovely spreadable consistency. If you leave out the oil – which I do on occasion – the flavor is still the same, but it is a bit more solid and les easy to spread.
Finally, don’t expect the completely smooth texture of commercial Nutella here. Think of this as the “crunchy” version!
- 2 cups hazelnuts
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup good-quality unsweetened dark cocoa powder, such as Valrhona or Scharffen Berger
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, or more if necessary (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the hazelnuts on a jelly-roll, and toast them until you can smell them, about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and place them in a cotton towel. Scrub and roll them around in the towel to remove the skins.
- When the hazelnuts are skinned (don’t be concerned if you cannot remove all the skin – just do the best you can), place the hazelnuts in a food processor and process until the nuts make a smooth paste, which will take some time, about 10 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and the cocoa powder and process again until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Add the salt, process, and if the mixture is very dry, add the canola oil while the machine is running. Taste for seasoning. If the mixture is very warm, let it cool completely before transferring it to a jar and sealing it. It will keep for about 1 month in a cook, dark spot.
Makes about 2 cups
Shrimp Biryani with Cashews
Traditionally, each element of this Indian dish is prepared separately, then layered in a dish and baked in the oven. I have taken the liberty of deconstructing it and omitting the baking step because I want you to appreciate the individual flavors and the way each contributes to the harmony of the whole. It’s also easier. The cashews are primordial to this dish, adding a contrasting and toasty crunch, and their characteristic smooth butteryness. Try this with a dry Reisling.
Note: Garam masala is a spice mixture that is the foundation of much Indian cooking. A basic garam masala contains cumin, peppercorns, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander seeds and bay leaves. If you don’t have any among your spices, you can either make it as I do, or add the individual spices as you go.
If using frozen shrimp, place them in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use them, in a strainer set over a bowl to give them a chance to thaw at least partially and rid themselves of any coating of ice they may have. If you don’t have time to do this, give the shrimp a quick rinse under cool water, place them in a tea towel and rub them to remove the ice coating. Otherwise the dish will be watery. The recipe calls for 1 pound of medium shrimp, which will give you 31 to 35 individual shrimp. You may add or subtract from that amount as you wish.
Don’t omit the salt when you pound the garlic, ginger, and chile; it creates some friction and any liquids emerge from the ingredients.
For the rice:
- 1 ½ cup basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted clarified butter
- ¼ tablespoon saffron threads
- 2 tablespoons fine sea salt
For the topping:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted clarified butter
- 1 medium onion very thinly sliced
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- Fine sea salt
For the shrimp:
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- One 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
- One 1-inch chile, such as Thai pepper or jalapeno, seeded
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted clarified butter
- 1 pound onions, very thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup mint leaves, firmly packed
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 teaspoon curry powder, preferably Madras
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
- Seeds from 5 cardamom pods, crushed, or about 20 black seeds
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Fine sea salt
- 1 pound of frozen medium shrimp, peeled, deveined if necessary
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cilantro and mint sprigs for garnish
- Rinse rice under cold running water until the water runs nearly clear. Place the rice in a small bowl, cover it with water and soak for 30 minutes. Let it drain for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Once the rice has drained heat 1 tablespoon of clarified butter in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the saffron and cook until it begins to send its aroma into the air, about 1 minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it looks translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of fine sea salt. Cover and cook until the rice is fluffy, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. The rice will stay warm for at least 40 minutes with the lid kept on the pan.
- While the rice is cooking, make the topping. Place a sieve over a heatproof bowl. Heat the 3 tablespoons of clarified butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring and shaking the pan often, until the onion turns dark golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the cashews and the raisins and sauté until the cashews are golden and raisins are plump, 3 to 4 minutes. Season generously with salt, mix well, then transfer the topping to the sieve and reserve.
- Place the garlic, ginger, and chile in a mortar or a small food processor with a pinch of salt and either crush or process to a rough paste. Reserve.
- Melt the final 2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. When the butter has melted, but before it is blistering hot, add the onions and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to turn golden at the edges, about 8 minutes.
- Mince the mint and cilantro leaves.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and cook, stirring, until the aroma of the paste fills the air, about 2 minutes. Add the spices and the minced mint and cilantro leaves, and cook, stirring gently until the spices send up their aromas and are golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, then pour on ¾ of a cup of hot water and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir and cook the onions until they are softened and half the water has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Add the shrimp to the onions, stir until they are coasted with the onions and spices, and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the shrimp turn pink and curl, 5 to 8 minutes. Taste for seasoning and remove from the heat. Don’t be concerned if the shrimp aren’t cooked all the way through. They will continue to cook in residual heat and will be cooked by the time they are served. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To serve, place the steaming rice on a large serving platter and make a well or a trough in the center of the rice. Top the rice with the shrimp and onion mixture. Garnish with the reserved topping and several of the fresh herb sprigs Serve immediately. The result is a dish of vivid liveliness, one that will cheer you up if you’re down or take you a notch higher if you’re not!
Reprinted with permission HarperCollins Harcourt 2010
