Slightly Sticky Walnuts with Sesame and Sumac

Amarante ↓

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 9:44 am

There really isn’t a suitable forum for this recipe because these should be classified as a nosh Very Happy

but perhaps this is the best place.

This was a nice easy way to elevate nuts. Some recipes I have made are more burdensome because you use a saucepan rather than just roasting.

I don’t know if I need to add this but I am lazy and so I line the pan with tin foil because who wants to scrub a pan. LOL

The notes are those of the cookbook author.

Slightly Sticky Walnuts with Sesame and Sumac

Excerpt From: Alison Roman - Nothing Fancy

serves 6

These slightly sticky walnuts are better than anything you can find in the bulk bins at Whole Foods, I promise. Not as sweet as you’d think, given all that maple syrup (which coats the nuts as they roast, leaving you with some deliciously mapley, crystallized sugar), they also happen to be extra nutty thanks to tahini and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. As if that weren’t exciting enough, they’re also tangy from the sumac and delightfully salty from flaky salt. Kind of the perfect one-stop-shop, highly addictive, very snackable nut.

I will also mention that they are extremely low maintenance and easy to make. Basically, you toss a bunch of stuff together on a baking sheet and bake. No stovetop stirring, no candy thermometers, no fussiness. Nothing fancy!

You can definitely mix up the nuts here (pecans would be nice), but walnuts are always the first to go, so why not cut to the chase and give the people what they want?

4 cups raw walnuts pieces (about 12 ounces)
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup raw white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground sumac
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

1 Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, or use a large oven-safe skillet and don’t worry about the parchment.

2 Place the walnuts on the baking sheet and drizzle the maple syrup over, followed by the tahini, sesame seeds, olive oil, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine so that everything is evenly coated.

3 Roast, stirring occasionally, until the walnuts are golden brown and the maple syrup is caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes.

4 Remove from heat and immediately sprinkle with the sumac and flaky salt, tossing to coat. Let cool completely before serving.

DO AHEAD These walnuts can be made up to 5 days ahead, stored in a tight glass jar or plastic container. If it’s humid outside and they feel sticky at all, just reheat them in a 325°F oven for a few minutes to dry out a bit.

NOTE I buy walnut “pieces” because not only do they save you a step, but they are also less expensive. If using whole, just lightly crush them before proceeding with the recipe.

Last edited by Amarante on Mon, Jun 15 2020, 11:34 am; edited 2 times in total

↑ Amarante ↓

Fri, Jun 12 2020, 7:32 pm

It’s a dried spice ground up and adds a tangy citrusy element. I

https://www.foodrepublic.com/2.....umac/

This suggests possible substitutes but you definitely want something with a citrusy element. Lemon pepper is Probably the best sub but then you would need to adjust salt and pepper in the recipe to compensate. If you can find it, it’s a nice spice to use for a lot of dishes like salad dressing or chicken marinade when you are improvising.

I would probably wait until I got the sumac. This is such an easy recipe that you would probably make it again especially if the elements of sweet from the maple and nutty from the tahini are up your alley. Very Happy

ETA Fancy nuts are a nice hostess gift if you like gifting people with food from your kitchen. I’ve also made roasted nuts with a rosemary type of seasoning. It’s not as expensive as buying gourmet from a store and it’s generally very appreciated. Very suitable for Purim MM. Very Happy

https://www.spiceography.com/s.....tute/

Last edited by Amarante on Sun, Jun 14 2020, 12:45 pm; edited 2 times in total

↑ Amarante ↓

Sun, Jun 14 2020, 12:20 am

shanie5 wrote:

Tahini-raw sesame paste, or mixed (like for falafel)?
Also-flaky sea salt? Will I find that with the regular salts?

Tahini is sesame paste. I don’t know what mixed is. Do you mean the sauce that is used for a falafel sandwich?

Maldon sea salt is a finishing salt. You wouldn’t use it for cooking but the flakey texture would be wasted in cooking. It’s widely available so it would depend where you shop. And it’s sold mail order and through Amazon.

When to use fancy sea salts like Maldon

Sea salt is made from evaporated ocean water, usually with minimal processing.

The water source can alter the texture and shape of the sea-salt crystals. "Depending on exactly how they are formed and the trace minerals the contain, their shape can range from moist, clumpy chunks to pyramid-like, lacy flakes with colors ranging from bright pink to pitch black," wrote López-Alt.

In the drying process, minerals — calcium, magnesium, potassium — from the sea water can attach to the sodium chloride. They can add flavor, though they occur in such small amounts, they don't alter the nutritional profile of the salt.

In the cooking process, a lot of these subtle differences are lost. And as Lopez-Alt writes: "If you're using your fancy sea salt to cook with … you may as well replace your toilet paper with dollar bills, because you are flushing all of its good features down the toilet." Touché!

This is why experts typically suggest using sea salt for finishing a dish. "If you have something you want to sprinkle with salt at the end, for that crunch of salt — that's when you want the flakiness of the sea salt," said Birnbaum.

So don't use Maldon — or any other specialty sea salt — to salt boiling pasta water; do consider it adding a pinch of it to a crunchy rice bowl, chicken that's just come out of the oven, or a salad.

Again, you want to be careful about volume here, too: A tablespoon of table salt has about a quarter more salt in it than a tablespoon of coarse sea salt.

↑ Amarante ↓

Mon, Jun 15 2020, 11:01 am

These are "gourmet nuts" which are more on the savory side. You could make them parve by using one of the plant based butters that are now on the market or margarine of course.

Union Square Café Bar Nuts

Sweet, salty, and spicy, these rosemary nuts are perfect with cocktails or for snacking. But don’t say I didn’t warn you: they’re hard to stop eating!

Servings: 2-1/2 cups

* 2-1/2 cups unsalted mixed nuts (see note)
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place the nuts on the baking sheet and toast in oven until warm, fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as nuts can burn quickly.

In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and butter. Add the warm, toasted nuts to the spiced butter and toss well. Add kosher salt and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve warm or let cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage.

Note: I like this recipe best with cashews and pecans, but you can use any nuts that you like. If you use raw nuts, be sure to toast them a bit longer, about 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
 Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The nuts can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost them on the countertop before serving.

cbsp

Mon, Jun 15 2020, 11:15 am

Amarante wrote:

Thank you for your yummy sounding recipes. I'm looking forward to trying the sesame one with pecans or maybe almonds (walnuts do not get eaten here).

What is a plant based butter and how is that really different than margarine (which is soy or cottonseed or even coconut based, all plants)?

↑ Amarante

Mon, Jun 15 2020, 11:25 am

cbsp wrote:

I think pecans would work better than almonds because of the textural difference and the little nooks and crannies. Pecans and walnuts for me are more interchangeable.

Country Crock has a line of what they call plant butters made with avocado oil, almond or olive oil. Maybe it's just hype but I think they taste a bit better than margarine - but there are no doubt variations in standard margarine as well.

For me there really is nothing as delicious as real butter when all is said and done Very Happy

https://www.countrycrock.com/plant-butter