Market basket: The hazelnut and chocolate combo just can't be beat
Many varieties of nuts have culinary marriages that work beautifully. Pecans and pies, pine nuts and pesto, macadamias and cookies and almonds and stir fry dishes. But one of my favorites is hazelnuts with chocolate. May they never divorce!
I have heard of filberts much longer than the more fun name of hazelnuts. They are the same. The name filberts became popular in the 7th century while celebrating a Frankish abbot named St. Philibert. It seems that the feast day of honoring him on Aug. 22 just happened to coincide with the ripening period of this nut.
Hazelnuts are the fruit of hazel trees of the genus Corylus. Although not as common of a name, you will occasionally see them labeled as cobnuts. They grow in clusters and are Mediterranean natives. Most of our supplies come from Italy, France, Spain and Turkey but they are also grown in the American upper northwest.
Hazelnuts growing on the tree have a large outer husk that looks fuzzy and opens as the nuts ripen. The beautiful hard shells are thick and smooth. The nuts inside are rich tasting and sweet. They are frequently the size of table grapes.
More: Market basket: What could be better than easy, no-bake treats?
Even though some call it a husk, after shelling hazelnuts are surrounded by a brown skin that is quite bitter and must be removed. It’s easier than it sounds to get it off so the nuts can be chopped or ground for use in recipes.
If you have some hazelnuts with the skins still on, place them in a shallow baking pan in a preheated 350-degree oven. Allow them to heat for 10 minutes or until the skins begin to flake. Remove from the oven and place in a clean dishtowel. Cool briefly, then rub them briskly in the towel. The skin will come right off.
You asked for it
Edward Calder of Cincinnati writes, “How do I store and use hazelnut oil?”
Edward,
For the longest shelf life, store the oil in the refrigerator. This prevents rancidity. Otherwise keep it in a cool place for up to three months. I mainly use it as a salad dressing and in delicate sauces where the flavor of the nut can shine.
Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on “Volunteer Gardener” on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at www.hauteflavor.com
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Market basket: The hazelnut and chocolate combo just can't be beat
