Monday, October 20, 2014

Toasted walnuts, take 2...Rosemary Toasted Walnuts.


I don't like raw walnuts.
They are good for you.
Turns out you can toast them at low heat and preserve the health benefits.
YAY!

Did I mention that my husband bought 3 lbs of raw walnuts? I made a batch of cinnamon sugared walnuts and was pretty impressed that they turned out amazingly well even at a low heat for a short time.
They turned out so well, I improvised a savory version of the recipe and here's what I came up with.

Rosemary Toasted Walnuts

1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon of fresh rosemary or 1/2 Tablespoon of dried rosemary
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Oilve oil
2 Cups raw walnuts

Heat oven to 170 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Using a "beverage" blender or spice/coffee grinder, grind the salt, rosemary and red pepper flakes into a fine powder.

Salt, rosemary, red pepper flakes

Ground into a fine powder allows for better distribution
Place the walnuts into a good sized bowl.
Using a "spray" dispenser, spray the walnuts with a very light coating of olive oil, stirring to coat evenly.
Sprinkle lightly with approximately 1/3 of the salt mixture, stir to distribute the seasoning.  
Here is where it pays to taste the mixture. By grinding the salt and seasonings you will need much less than you imagine. Use what you feel enhances the taste, and reserve the remainder for other dishes. (This mix is amazing sprinkled on steamed vegetables, popcorn, and roasted chicken)

Spread the walnuts on the lined baking sheet.
Put into the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes. 
Take them out of the oven.
Enjoy the aroma while they cool.  

If you made the same "OOPS" that I did, and they are a little too salty, wait until they have cooled, and place them into a ziplock bag with a damp paper towel. Toss them around so that the paper towel picks up a good bit of the salt. Put them back into the oven for about 5 minutes to evaporate any moisture from the paper towel.

Rosemary Toasted Walnuts
Now, what to do with these besides eat them by the handfuls? Salads are getting to be more common around here.  These were a superb addition to this salad with apples, goat cheese, ham, in a light vinaigrette dressing.  


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