Cooking with nuts: creative ideas

From the mid-1990s to the late 2000s, nut consumption in the US increased by 45%. Perhaps this is due to the spread of vegetarianism or healthy granola and nut snacks, the fact remains. And we get acquainted with the variety of variations of adding nuts to the diet!

Homemade nut butter

Fresh nuts are a must for a great pasta. Buy raw nuts, which you then bake yourself in the oven. For a velvety feel, add coconut oil, and to make the pasta sweet, add honey or sorghum syrup (try to avoid stronger sweeteners such as molasses). While cooking, “play” with different combinations of nuts: cashew-almond-hazelnut, or pecan-walnut-almond and so on. For a smoother and creamier paste, a food processor is recommended rather than a blender.

Pickled pine nuts

Methods for pickling green walnuts have been around since the Middle Ages. Pickled unripe nuts are still an English delicacy. We will leave the unripe fruits to the British, our recipe involves ripe pine nuts (alternatively, you can take peanuts or cashews), which we boil in a spicy vinegar solution and leave to brew for up to three days.

Roasted walnuts

The most affordable possible nuts on the Russian market, they can be turned into a sweet dessert, while serving absolutely whole. The recipe will allow you to treat a company of 8 people:

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a skillet over high heat. Add walnuts, simmer for about 45 seconds. Drain the water, lay out on a paper towel. Heat the oil in a large frying pan at 170C. Place nuts in a tight airtight container, add sugar, shake well. Carefully place the nuts in the hot skillet with the oil. Fry until golden brown. Lay again on paper towels.

Hazelnut Mini Tarts

A recipe with the addition of everyone’s favorite Nutella to homemade hazelnut-based tartlets. Real jam!

Preheat oven to 170C. Beat flour in a blender and 12 tbsp. nuts to coarse flour. Sugar, butter, canola oil, milk, beat at medium speed with a mixer for about 90 seconds. At low speed of the mixer, add coarse flour, beat well. Spread the batter in the bottom of a tartlet muffin tin. Bake until golden brown 12-15 minutes. Blend the nutella, cream cheese, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla together in a food processor until smooth. Put in the form of filling in tartlets. Add a couple of hazelnuts on top of each.

chestnut soup

Chestnuts are suitable for cooking not only on an open fire! In a wonderful soup, they are perfectly combined with ginger and spices.

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and carrots, cook 10 minutes. Add chestnut, thyme, ginger and spices, simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Mix vegetable broth with flour, add to the pan with 2 tbsp. water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover with a lid, cook over low heat for 1 minutes. Beat the soup with a mixer, cook for another 12 minutes. Add vinegar, salt and pepper.

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