One Perfect Bite: hazelnuts

Showing posts with label hazelnuts. Show all posts

Friday, November 30, 2012

Apple and Escarole Salad with Blue Cheese and Toasted Hazelnuts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a terrific salad to serve with pork or ham. I found the recipe in Fine Cooking magazine this past summer and I thought it would be a perfect addition to our Thanksgiving meal. It was. The few changes I've made to the recipe are simplifications rather than outright changes, and, if you share my penchant for salads, I think you'll want to give this one a try. The salad plays bitter against sweet and begins with a layer of apples that are lightly dressed with a mustard vinaigrette. The apples must be one of the sweeter varieties because no sugar is used in the salad or its dressing, and a touch of sweet is needed to balance the bitterness of escarole and the bite of blue cheese. I'm able to purchase hazelnuts that are already chopped and toasted and that allows me to completely bypass the second step of the recipe below. While many of you are unable to purchase hazelnuts, I've found that chopped and toasted almonds can be used as a substitute. I've also discovered that feta can replace blue cheese when it is necessary. The dressing for the salad can be made hours before you plan to use it, but the salad should not be tossed until you are ready to serve it. As with all leafy green salads, it's best to put the dressing in the salad bowl before the various elements of the salad are added. This prevents the salad from being weighed down by the dressing and makes for a prettier presentation. I don't like sopping salads, so I only use half the dressing suggested by this recipe. This is an easy salad to make and I hope you'll give it a try. Here's how it is made.

Apple and Escarole Salad with Blue Cheese and Hazelnuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces whole shelled hazelnuts (about 1/2 cup), toasted and skinned
1 pound (about 2 large) sweet apples best enjoyed raw (such as Fujis or Galas), quartered, cored, and sliced into thin wedges
1 large head escarole, torn or cut into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups)
3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced length-wise (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1) Whisk vinegar, shallots, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Whisk in oil in a slow and steady stream until incorporated.
2) Place nuts in a zip-top bag, force out air, seal bag, and break nuts with a meat pounder or a heavy skillet into uneven pieces.
3) Toss apples with 1 tablespoon of dressing in a large bowl. Add escarole, cheese, onion, parsley, and hazelnuts. Toss with some of remaining dressing and serve. Yield: 6 servings.

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple Syrup and Toasted Hazelnuts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Were I to personify Brussels sprouts, the active disdain they usually receive would quickly put them into therapy. Ten years ago, if asked to rate them, most folks would put sprouts into a nose-up, thumbs-down category. The problem was never with the sprouts, it was with the way in which they were prepared. The popularity of this pungent cabbage has grown, due largely to creative cooks whose recipes have changed the way we handle them. I also have a sneaking suspicion that milder, more appealing varieties of sprouts now reach our markets. The Silver Fox happens to love them, so they have always had a spot on our Thanksgiving table. I served them several weeks ago as part of our early celebration, using a new recipe that I chose because it was so easy to make. They were also very good. I found the recipe when I stumbled on the website of Chloe Coscarelli, a vegan chef and food writer whose recipes can be found here. These sprouts are roasted at high heat and their natural sugars caramelize as they bake. A final toss with maple syrup and hazelnuts takes them to a level that makes them worthy of a place on your holiday table. If you are looking for a new way to prepare Brussels sprouts I hope you'll give this very easy recipe a try. Here's how they are made.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Maple Syrup and Toasted Hazelnuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Chloe Coscarelli

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon (or 10 grinds) black pepper
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 to 1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2) Remove any yellow or brown leaves from brussels sprouts. Remove stems and cut them in half.
3) In a large bowl, toss brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt and pepper together. Once all of the brussels sprouts are coated in oil, spread them into a 9- by 13-inch (or larger) baking dish or sheet tray to roast.
4) Roast for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, stir brussels sprouts with a spatula or large spoon to assure even browning. Continue to roast for another 30 minutes. Stir in maple syrup. (Steps 1 through 4 can be done a day in advance; store covered in the refrigerator. Continue with Steps 5 and 6 right before serving.)
5) Continue to roast brussels sprouts for about 15 more minutes, or until they are fork tender.
6) Toss roasted brussels sprouts with hazelnuts and serve. Yield: 6 servings.

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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Aged Gouda and Hazelnuts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...How green is my valley? At this time of year, it looks like waves of velvet have washed it in shades of green that shimmer as it captures light. In another week, apple trees, now in flower, will drop their petals in a flurry that resembles falling snow and if you venture outside the city there are hectares of aching beauty just begging to be seen. Another green, asparagus, has begun its long climb toward the sun and in a week or two the season will be in full swing. While it is one of my favorite vegetables, I rarely prepare it when it's out of season. At this time of year, however, I make it several times a week. When the season ends, asparagus disappears from my kitchen. I do, however, collect recipes for it throughout the year. I suspect my one real talent in the kitchen is the ability to taste a recipe as it is read. Very few duds make it to my table. There are mistakes to be sure, but not a lot of them. I came across a recipe for a spring salad that was developed by John Ash for Fine Cooking magazine. I knew it would be a standout as I read through the recipe and, sure enough, it was. The salad consists of strips of shaved asparagus and cheese that are tossed with arugula and hazelnuts in a special vinaigrette. It was a perfect way to begin our Easter dinner. I hope you will try this. I know those of you who do will be delighted. Here's the recipe.

Shaved Asparagus Salad with Aged Gouda and Hazelnuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of John Ash and Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fragrant honey, such as wild flower or orange blossom
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Asparagus
3/4 lb. thick asparagus, trimmed
3 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup toasted, peeled, and chopped hazelnuts
2-1/2 oz. thinly shaved aged Gouda (use a vegetable peeler)

Directions:
1) To make vinaigrette: Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, shallots and salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
2) To make salad: Remove tips of asparagus and put them in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a stalk discarding first shaving. When shaving first side becomes awkward, turn stalk over and repeat. Add shavings to tips. Repeat with remaining stalks. Toss asparagus with 1/3 cup of vinaigrette and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes so that flavors meld and asparagus softens just a bit. Marinate for no more than 15 minutes because strips will lose their crispness as they sit. Add arugula and hazelnuts and toss, adding more dressing as necessary to lightly coat arugula. Arrange on plates and top with shaved cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.