Walnut

Brain food

The kernels of all kinds of walnuts are edible, rich in various oils, they are eaten raw or in cooked dishes, most often in desserts. Walnut oil is considered a valuable specialty and is used in extremely small quantities, most often to enrich the taste of salads and various dressings. The walnut is considered to be a nut rich in omega three acids, which helps lower cholesterol, which is why it is also known as food for the brain, which absolutely needs these fats to function. Due to the high content of various oils, walnuts must be stored in a dry and cool place, as they quickly become rancid in warm conditions. But not only walnut kernels are useful. In some countries, unripe walnuts are kept in vinegar together with the green shell. In Armenian cuisine, walnuts are preserved in sweet syrup, similar to the Balkan countries where walnut kernels are preserved in honey. Today, most walnuts are grown in the United States, Turkey, China, Iran, France and Romania. When buying whole walnuts, we choose ones that feel hard. The shell should not be cracked, punctured or uneven in color, as this indicates moldy kernels inside. If the walnut kernels have a bitter shell, it helps to soak them in boiling water for 10 minutes and then rub them with a coarse towel. Later, spread them on baking paper and dry them in the oven.

 

 

Over walnuts with imagination

Walnuts can be used traditionally, especially in desserts, but that does not mean that this is the only way to use them. Crushed walnuts can be used to spice up plain yogurt, they are indispensable in various cookies, poticas and other baked goods. We also put walnut kernels on various cheese plates and enjoy them with cheese fondue, where it is best to alternately dip bread and walnuts into the cheese. Combinations of zucchini-walnut bread, carrot-walnut or apricot-walnut muffins and apple-walnut omelettes are excellent. Coarsely ground walnuts can be added to various salads (a combination of walnuts, celery, apples and young lettuce is excellent) and soups, or used as an addition to the fillings of poultry dishes. We can also use them as a side dish; it is an excellent side dish of finely ground walnuts, cooked lentils and spices ground into a thick puree. Ground walnuts and balsamic vinegar can be used to create a dressing that goes perfectly with asparagus, avocado, raw marinated zucchini or roasted autumn orange squash... Roasted walnuts can be added to all baked poultry dishes, fish and vegetable dishes, ground walnuts go perfectly with poultry combined with honey and chili. Coffee lovers can add sweetened and roasted coarsely ground walnuts to milk foam, they can also be used with milky rice, on pancakes... Even when preparing pasta, you can play with the walnut aroma: add ground walnuts to various noodles; for example, spaghetti with broccoli, walnuts and lemon juice, or noodles with sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts and arugula, or potato dumplings with gorgonzola, port and walnuts are excellent.