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How to bring out the best in a walnut

As the fresh-crop walnut season crests, bins and baskets become filled with glorious piles of satin-shelled, wrinkly brown nuts. The high-harvest flavors can be enjoyed in all sorts of ways. We're talking, after all, about a nut with a fascinating interplay of opposites: the slight bitterness of the tannins in the pellicle (or thin skin) against the sweet nut meat; the ethereal fragrance vs. the earthy crunch.

As the fresh-crop walnut season crests, bins and baskets become filled with glorious piles of satin-shelled, wrinkly brown nuts.

The high-harvest flavors can be enjoyed in all sorts of ways. We're talking, after all, about a nut with a fascinating interplay of opposites: the slight bitterness of the tannins in the pellicle (or thin skin) against the sweet nut meat; the ethereal fragrance vs. the earthy crunch.

For creamy, sweet, fresh-nut tastes, choose walnuts in the shell and crack and eat them a few at a time with juicy apples and cheese; the accompaniments cut the pucker. Toast shelled halves (in the oven or a dry skillet) to scatter on salads or to use in an essence-of-autumn dessert of honey-poached pear with Greek yogurt and walnuts. If a recipe calls for grinding or chopping nuts, begin with a package of smaller pieces - they're less expensive and more convenient.

Some dishes, such as kebabs with muhammara sauce (a condiment of ground walnuts, roasted red peppers, and pomegranate molasses) call for the walnut pieces to be toasted before being added to the other ingredients. For cookies and cakes, you'll often want to add the walnuts untoasted; they'll take on that roasty flavor as they cook.

A rich but amazingly light cake with a warm brown color more often seen in Renaissance paintings than on the kitchen counter is made using freshly ground walnut meal in place of flour. Grind the nuts just before using to capture the essential oils. And for the best texture, be sure to beat the egg yolks until they're pale yellow and thick enough to form a ribbon when poured from a spoon; likewise, beat the whites until they form stiff peaks, so as to give the cake structure.

It's sometimes surprising how different pairings of ingredients bring out the walnut's different characteristics. For example, the touch of spice brought in by adding peppercorns to the poaching liquid for the pears works with the walnuts to liven up the sweet dish the same way a wise-cracking friend can spark your own wit. The meatiness of the ground walnuts in the muhammara sauce is focused by the pureed red peppers and garlic, almost in the way of a classic meat-tomato sauce. And a warm touch of sherry in the whipped cream that accompanies the cake brings a burnished finish to the dessert.

Walnut Cake

Makes 12 servings

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3/4 pound walnuts, about 3 cups

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

8 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar, divided

Zest of 1 orange

1 cup whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks

2 teaspoons oloroso sherry

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

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1. Lightly butter a 10-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the paper. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grind the walnuts in a food processor until fine. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the nuts to sprinkle over the top of the cake. Combine the flour and baking powder and stir into the remaining walnuts until evenly mixed.

3. Beat the egg yolks until well-blended, then gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the sugar. Continue beating until the mixture is light and lemon-colored and the eggs form a ribbon when dropped from a spoon. Stir in the orange zest. Stir in the ground walnut mixture.

4. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold a large spoonful of the beaten egg whites into the walnut mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

5. Spoon the cake batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the reserved 2 tablespoons walnuts over it. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove to wire rack to cool to warm. As cake cools, it will settle.

6. Combine whipped cream and oloroso sherry. Sift the powdered sugar through a small strainer into the whipped cream and stir until blended.

7. Serve a slice of cake with a dollop of oloroso whipped cream.

Per Serving:

372 calories; 9 grams protein; 22 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 29 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 168 milligrams cholesterol; 75 milligrams sodium.

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Muhammara

Makes 21/3 cups.

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3 large red bell peppers

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses

11/2 cups toasted walnuts

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil,

divided

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1. Roast the red peppers on a rack over the burner on a gas stove or on a grill until blackened and blistered all over, about 10 minutes. Once they are roasted, remove them from the rack to a paper bag and let stand until they are cool enough to handle.

2. Remove all the charred skin from the peppers, and remove the stems and seeds.

3. Combine roasted peppers, garlic, crushed cumin seeds, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses in a food processor and process until almost smooth. Add the walnuts and bread crumbs and process until chunky smooth.

4. Add the salt, Aleppo pepper and olive oil and process just until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. It can be refrigerated for up to three days.

Note:

Pomegranate molasses is available at Middle Eastern markets and some supermarkets. Aleppo chile pepper, from northern Syria, has a moderate heat level with some fruitiness and cuminlike undertones. Find it at specialty spice stores, or substitute regular crushed red chilies.

Muhammara is great with roasted or grilled meat, such as lamb kebabs, and pita bread.

Per each 1/4 cup serving: 205 calories; 4 grams protein; 10 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 18 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 290 milligrams sodium. EndText