Cooking with Nuts

Ground nuts, especially almonds, form the base of many cookies and cakes, pairing well with chocolate, coffee and other flavorings; they are also a natural thickener for sauces. In health food stores, ground nuts are often referred to as “meals” for adding to vegetable pancakes and cereals, or to use as a crunchy topping for gratins, bean dishes, tarts and ice cream desserts. Whole nuts, whether toasted or left plain, decorate cakes and pastries, while chopped nuts may be added to cake batters, meringue mixtures and bread doughs, sprinkled in salads, or mixed with sautéed vegetables. Nut oils are popular in salad dressings.