Nuts | Saveur

Chinese Cilantro and Peanut Salad

Carolyn Phillips — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:28:27 +0000

Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

This refreshing peanut salad from Xinjiang, an autonomous region in northwest China, is adapted from Carolyn Phillips’ cookbook All Under Heaven. Known as huāshēngmĭ bàn xiāngcài, it pairs well with both grilled meats and fish. Use both the stems and leaves of the most delicate cilantro you can find.

Featured in “Eating on the Western Edge of China” by Fiona Reilly.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 5 minutes

1 tsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
½ cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Slowly whisk in the sesame oil, then add the red bell pepper, peanuts, sesame seeds, and cilantro and toss to coat. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

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Butter Lettuce and Orange Salad with Toasted Pistachios

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:16 +0000

Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

Navel oranges do double duty in this simple green salad: they’re cut into segments, and the resulting juice is used in the rich, tangy crème fraîche dressing. Tender butter lettuce leaves, earthy toasted pistachios, and grassy fresh chives round out the easy side dish.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 5 minutes

2 small heads butter lettuce, cored and leaves torn into large pieces
2 navel oranges, peel and pith removed and flesh segmented, juice reserved
½ cup shelled pistachios, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
½ cup crème fraîche
¼ cup finely chopped chives, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

To a large bowl, add the lettuce, orange segments, and pistachios. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring up, whisk together the crème fraîche, 3 tablespoons of the chives, and the reserved orange juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Garnish with the remaining chives and serve immediately.

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Dukkah

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:18 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Dukkah is a coarsely ground nut, seed, and spice mix that originally hails from Egypt. This version teams buttery hazelnuts and sesame seeds with heady coriander and cumin. To enjoy it, take a slice of crusty bread and dip it in olive oil followed by the dukkah. It’s also excellent sprinkled on everything from eggs to hummus to roasted vegetables.

Featured in “Elegant Aussies” by Paul Lukacs in the March 2008 issue.

Yield: Makes 2 cups

Time: 20 minutes

¾ cup hazelnuts
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup coriander seeds
¼ cup cumin seeds
½ tsp. black peppercorns, cracked
Baguette slices and extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 6 minutes. Wrap the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Vigorously rub the hazelnuts in the towel to loosen the skins, then peel them completely and transfer to a food processor.
In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to the food processor.
In the same skillet, toast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds until they are fragrant and begin to color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the food processor and allow to cool completely, then add the black peppercorns and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
Serve with the baguette slices and bowls of oil for dipping.

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Caramel Corn with Sorghum Syrup

Alline Anderson — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:20:00 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Anabaptist communities throughout the American South and Midwest are among the last remaining U.S. producers of sorghum syrup, an earthy, nutty sweetener that had its heyday in the Civil War era. In this caramel corn recipe with sorghum syrup, Alline Anderson—who co-owns the Milkweed Mercantile, a solar-powered and straw-insulated bed-and-breakfast in Rutledge, Missouri—incorporates the nectar for its depth of flavor. She also folds in crisp, salty bacon to counterbalance the sweetness. Look for sorghum syrup at specialty grocers, or online.

Featured in “The Anabaptist Community Taught Me Everything I Know About Sorghum Syrup,” by Benjamin Brownlow.

Yield: 4

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

One 3.5-oz. bag plain microwave popcorn, popped (about 8 cups)
1½ cups cooked bacon, finely chopped
1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
16 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup sorghum syrup
1½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 250°F.
In a large bowl, toss together the popcorn, bacon, and peanuts.
In a large pot set over medium heat, melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugar, syrup, and salt. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it boils, cook, without disturbing, until a candy thermometer reads 240°F, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Pour the syrup mixture over the popcorn mixture and toss well to coat, then divide between the two baking sheets and spread into a thin, even layer. Bake, removing from the oven and tossing at 15-minute intervals, until crisp to the touch and golden brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool completely.
Once cooled, break the caramel corn into bite-size pieces and serve at room temperature. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

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Yuanxiao (Sweet Rice Balls with Nut and Sesame Seed Filling)

Buwei Yang Chao — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:16:03 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Chewy sweet rice (also called glutinous rice) dough encasing nutty pastes made from seeds, nuts, and beans are a Lunar New Year must-have in China. Not only does the round shape represent family togetherness and reunion, but the sugary fillings symbolize sweetness in the year ahead. They’re especially popular on Yuanxiao Jie, also known as the Lantern Festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the new lunar year and marks the end of the two-week celebratory period. Almonds, walnuts, and toasted sesame seeds comprise the rich filling in this yuanxiao recipe adapted from Buwei Yang Chao’s 1945 volume, How to Cook and Eat in Chinese.

Yield: 4

Time: 45 minutes

¼ cup white sesame seeds
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup walnuts
½ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. shortening
1 lb. sweet rice flour, divided

Instructions

In a small skillet set over low heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring frequently, until lightly golden brown, 3–5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind the sesame seeds, almonds, and walnuts to the texture of fine sand. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the sugar, shortening, and 2 tablespoons of water; stir well to form a paste.
In a large rimmed tray, spread enough of the flour to form an approximately ¼-inch layer. Using your palms, roll the sesame seed mixture into small balls (¼ –½ inch in diameter), space them out on the tray, and shake the tray until all the balls are evenly coated in flour. Transfer the balls to a second large rimmed tray and sprinkle with water until the balls are moist. Add more flour to the first tray until the layer is again ¼-inch deep, and transfer the balls back to the first tray. Repeat until all the flour is coating the balls. (This could take as many as 10 rounds. As the dumplings get larger, you may want to divide them onto 2 additional trays so they have enough room to roll around.)
Cook the dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Gently drop in the dumplings and cook, stirring frequently to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until most of them float to the surface, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of cold water, bring to a boil again, and cook until the dumplings look slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the dumplings to serving bowls, then use a ladle to pour 1–2 cups of cooking water into each bowl. Serve warm.

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Strange-Flavor Mixed Nuts

Jing Gao — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Photo: Yudi Ela Echevarria • Food Styling: Caroline Hwang • Prop Styling: Rebecca Bartoshesky

A famous Sichuan snack that Jing Gao, founder of chili crisp brand Fly By Jing, grew up eating is guaiwei (literally, “strange flavor”) fava beans. The crispy, crunchy beans—fried and coated in a sugary, spicy, salty, and tingly coating—are usually served alongside afternoon tea, or as a bar snack. Since fava beans can be harder to find as readily in the United States, Gao often substitutes them with an assortment of mixed nuts. (For a different flavor profile that’s just as enticing, you can also substitute the chile-and-Sichuan-peppercorn mixture with about a tablespoon of mala spice mix.)

Adapted with permission from The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp: Spicy Recipes and Stories from Fly By Jing’s Kitchen by Jing Gao, copyright © 2023. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Featured in “A New Kind of Asian Grocer Has Arrived,” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 4

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

1½ tsp. Sichuan red chile powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground roasted Sichuan peppercorn
¾ cup sugar
1½ cups assorted nuts, such as cashews, peanuts, almonds, and pecans

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the chile powder, salt, and Sichuan peppercorn.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To a large wok or skillet set over high heat, add the sugar and ⅓ cup of water. Using a spatula, stir continuously until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble and reads 250°F on a candy thermometer, 8–12 minutes. Working very quickly, remove the wok from the heat and add the nuts and salt mixture; toss well to coat. Spread the nuts into a flat layer on the baking sheet and separate them into small bite-size clusters, then set aside to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

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Pumpkin Pie with Pine Nut-Pecan Crust

Lois Ellen Frank and Walter Whitewater — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:50:00 +0000

Get the recipe for Pumpkin Pie with Pine Nut-Pecan Crust. Photo by Lois Allen Frank

This pumpkin pie recipe, adapted from food historian and cookbook author Lois Ellen Frank’s Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky: Modern Plant-Based Recipes Using Native American Ingredients, riffs on a U.S. holiday classic by incorporating two Indigenous ingredients: pine nuts and pecans. In the past, when there was no wild game, or a hunt was unsuccessful, both nuts provided Native communities with protein, calories, and nutritious plant-based fats. Not only does this subtly sweet pumpkin pie recipe, topped with an irresistible coconut whipped cream, nod to the cultural importance of these two ingredients, it’s also a festive addition to any autumnal holiday celebration. As an added bonus, it happens to be both vegan and gluten-free. Follow our pumpkin pie spice recipe to make your own at home.

Excerpted from Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky: Modern Plant-Based Recipes Using Native American Ingredients by Lois Ellen Frank. Copyright © 2023. Available from Hachette Go, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Featured in “The Indigenous American Ingredients That Changed the Course of Food History,” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 8

Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup (3.9 oz/112g) raw pecans
1 cup (5 oz/142g) raw pine nuts
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbsp. sunflower oil

For the filling:

One 15-oz. can unsweetened pumpkin purée
¾ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup arrowroot powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

For the coconut whipped cream:

Two 13.5-oz. cans full-fat unsweetened coconut milk, chilled overnight
1 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper. (Alternatively, use a pie dish coated with sunflower oil or nonstick spray.)
Make the crust: To a food processor, add the pecans, pine nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and salt and pulse until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Add the sunflower oil and pulse again until a rough dough forms. Transfer to the pan, firmly pressing the dough into an even layer along the bottom and sides of the pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden-brown and fully set, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, coconut milk, brown sugar, arrowroot powder, and pumpkin pie spice until well-combined and no lumps remain.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the baked crust and tap on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is fully set and browned, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and set aside to cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
Make the coconut whipped cream: Open the coconut milk cans and, using a spoon, poke a hole through the solids on top. Set a fine sieve over a medium bowl and strain out the liquid, reserving any solids in the sieve. (Use the liquid within a few days, or freeze for later use. If the solids and liquid haven’t separated, scoop out and use the thickest part of the milk, usually about half the can, and save the rest for later use.) To a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or to a large bowl with a handheld mixer, transfer the coconut solids. Add the agave and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form, 2–3 minutes, then beat in the cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cut the pie into slices, top each with a dollop of the whipped cream, and serve.

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Almond Dip with Argan Oil and Honey

Jeff Koehler — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 20:48:16 +0000

This recipe for amlou, adapted from Jeff Koehler’s new book, The North African Cookbook, is an almond-based spread local to the southwestern Moroccan region of Sous, between Agadir and Essaouira. Ground together with deep golden argan oil and just a touch of honey, this earthy, lightly sweetened dip is a staple at the Moroccan table, eaten with bread at breakfast or at snacktime. Made from the seeds of the argan tree, which is indigenous to the Sous region and can be up to two hundred years old, argan oil is often sold as a beauty product, so be sure to use an edible, culinary-grade variety for preparing this dish. (Argan oil is available at many North African and online retailers, or substitute walnut oil, almond oil, or full-bodied extra-virgin olive oil.)

Yield: 2

Time: 20 minutes

1⅓ cups almonds (8 oz.)
Fine salt
½ cup culinary argan oil (see headnote), or walnut or extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey, or to taste

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. On an ungreased baking sheet, bake the almonds, shaking the pan occasionally, until deep brown and crunchy, 10–15 minutes. Transfer a plate and set aside until cool.
In a food processor, blend the almonds to a gritty paste. With the machine running, gradually add the oil and blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste, then scrape into a serving bowl and stir in the honey. (Refrigerated and tightly covered, amlou will keep for up to one week.)

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Raspberry Blondies with Chocolate and Almonds

Benjamin Kemper — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 18:38:08 +0000

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Welcome to One Pot Bangers, Benjamin Kemper’s column, where you’ll find our freshest, boldest cooking ideas that require just one pot, bowl, skillet, or sheet pan. Busy week? We’ve got you covered with these low-effort, high-reward recipes from around the globe.

When I’m in charge of dessert but baking is the last thing I feel like doing, these dense and chewy raspberry chocolate blondies always save my skin. Something about the raspberries and almonds puts these bars in fancy-pants territory—even if the batter comes together in a single bowl. Feel free to customize this blondie recipe based on whatever’s lurking in the recesses of your cupboard: White chocolate instead of milk is a no-brainer here, or you can nix the berries and add ½ cup of toasted shredded coconut in their stead.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 40 minutes

7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled (see footnote), plus more for greasing
1 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
½ tsp. fine salt
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
⅔ cup fresh raspberries
½ cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds
½ cup coarsely chopped milk chocolate, or chocolate chips

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan, then line with parchment or foil, leaving a generous overhang on two sides. Butter the parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and egg. Sprinkle the baking powder evenly over the top, whisk to incorporate, then add the flour and whisk until just combined. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in the raspberries, almonds and chocolate.
Bake until the top is cracked and pale golden brown, 25–30 minutes (do not overbake). Cool in the pan, then (lifting the overhang) transfer to a cutting board and cut into squares as large or as small as you like.

Note: For extra-nutty blondies, melt the butter in a small pot set over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, using a silicone spatula to stir occasionally, until it turns light amber and smells nutty, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature before using in step 2.

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Horchata Paletas

Fany Gerson — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:47:13 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling By Jessie YuChen; Prop Styling By Kim Gray

New York City chef Fany Gerson and her husband and business partner Daniel Ortiz de Montellano served these creamy horchata paletas at El Barrio, an outdoor celebration of Latinx food and culture at the 2023 Charleston Wine and Food Festival. Gerson sells these and other Mexican-style ice pops at Brooklyn’s La Newyorkina, and also at Mijo, the pair’s newest collaboration in Manhattan’s Pier 57 marketplace.

Toasting the rice, almonds, and cinnamon before steeping them in the horchata base results in an exceptionally deep and nutty flavor, so don’t be tempted to skip this important step. For even creamier paletas, swap out 2 cups of the half & half for heavy cream; for a vegan version, feel free to replace the dairy entirely with any non-sweetened nut, oat, or soy milk.

Yield: 8—10

Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

¾ cup long-grain white rice
¾ cup raw almonds
One 3-in. cinnamon stick
6 cup half & half
¼ cup sugar, plus more
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

To a medium pot over medium heat, add the rice, almonds, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice and almonds are slightly toasted and the cinnamon is very fragrant, 3–6 minutes . Stir in the half-and-half and ¼ cup sugar, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer to the fridge to steep for at least 3 and up to 24 hours.
In a blender, working in batches, puree the rice-almond-half & half mixture until the rice and nuts are completely pulverized. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth, then set over a large bowl. Strain the horchata base into the bowl, pressing down on the solids with a spatula or the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible; discard any solids that remain in the strainer. Working in batches, blend the strained liquid once more; strain into the bowl again, discarding any solids. Stir in the vanilla and salt, and season to taste with more sugar.
Pour the base evenly into a popsicle mold, leaving a little bit of room at the top as the paletas expand as they freeze. Transfer to the freezer until the paletas are slushy, about 1 hour, then insert a popsicle stick in the center of each. Continue freezing until firm, at least 4 hours.
To unmold, dip the paleta mold into a container of warm water. Serve the horchata paletas immediately or place on a clean sheet pan and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. (If storing longer than 24 hours, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)

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Roasted Carrots with Green Labneh and Pistachios

Fatima Khawaja — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:34:07 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Olivia Mack McCool; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

Welcome to In Good Season, SAVEUR’s column on making the most of local produce according to contributing editor Fatima Khawaja. Here you’ll find creative, unfussy meal ideas plus plenty of cooking advice—like what to do with that bumper crop of zucchini or how to store delicate heirloom tomatoes. Follow along, and you’ll learn how to turn the season’s bounty into easy plant-based meals.

We’re all familiar with orange-colored carrots, but the root vegetables actually come in all different gorgeous hues, from white and yellow to magenta and purple. And few vegetable dishes bring me more joy to look at—and of course, to eat—than a rainbow of long petite carrots, their green fringes mostly trimmed but with an inch or so still attached. It’s a beautiful way to present the vegetable.

After roasting the carrots, which brings out their natural sweetness, sprinkle them with chopped pistachios for a sweet, earthy crunch. Serve the dish alongside a bright, herby labneh-based sauce, and you might forget every other dish on the table.

This recipe will work with any carrots, even the larger ones—just trim them down into strips and ensure they’re all similar in size for even roasting.

Yield: 6

Time: 45 minutes

1½ lb. rainbow carrots, leafy tops trimmed, cleaned
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 oz. labneh, or plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves
¼ cup fresh lemon juice, plus more
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ cup roasted salted shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil, then place the carrots on top and add the oil, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper; toss to coat. Bake until the carrots are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a knife, 25–30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a blender, purée the labneh, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and remaining salt. Season to taste with additional lemon juice.
To serve, spread the labneh sauce over a large platter. Arrange the carrots over the sauce, sprinkle with pistachios, and serve warm.

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