NUTS, OILS & VINEGARS

NUTS
Almonds are closely related to stone fruit, which is why the shells look so much like peach pits. Shelled whole nuts are good to eat out of hand, but because the teardrop shape makes them difficult to prep, you can use sliced and slivered almonds for cooking. Thin-sliced almonds are best in cookies or cakes, salads and pilafs, while the substantial crunch of slivered almonds works well sprinkled over stir-fries and ice cream sundaes.

Almonds, Marcona, also called Queen of Almonds, grow primarily on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, and are prized for their rich flavor and smooth texture – they are flatter and stubbier than regular almonds, but are much more expensive. They are traditionally fried in olive oil and salted and eaten as a snack.

Brazil Nuts are neither nuts (botanically, they are seeds), nor are they from Brazil (most are cultivated in Bolivia). Their texture and flavor are similar to coconut, with a musty and vanilla-y finish. These high-fat nuts become rancid very quickly and should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. For easy shelling, boil the nuts in their shell for 3 minutes, then let them cool to room temperature before cracking.

Cashew Nuts grow outside their fruit, the cashew apple; although the fruit is edible (very juicy and sweet), the shell of the cashew nut is toxic, which is why they are almost always sold shelled. Whenever possible, purchase whole cashews rather than cashew halves or halves and pieces, which tend to be of lower quality. When cooking with cashews toast the nuts to enhance their flavor and crunchiness.

Chestnut timber resembles its cousin, the oak, in both color and texture. The nuts are said to contain twice as much starch as potatoes, and they can be eaten raw, baked, roasted or boiled. They can be ground into flour; the French make it into a sweet snack called marrons glacés; in the United States, chestnuts are more associated with the Yuletide season, where the nuts are roasted in an oven or on an open fire, as the Christmas carol goes.

Hazelnuts are also called filberts or cobnuts; they are heart-shaped and have a soft crunch and sweet-smoky flavor. The easiest way to remove the bitter skins is to toast the nuts in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes until fragrant; when cool enough to handle, place them in a clean kitchen towel and rub the nuts back and forth to loosen and remove the skins.

Macadamia Nuts – the tree is native to Australia; harvesting the nuts is an expensive process because their shells are so strong. The nuts have a crunchy-chalky texture and a meaty, slightly bitter flavor. Once opened, the nuts should be refrigerated or frozen to prevent rancidity.

Pecans are a member of the hickory family, and are native to the south-central U.S. Pecans have a relatively thin shells, making them easy to crack and eat out of hand; the nut is soft, slightly oily, and maple-y sweet with a pleasantly bitter balance. With a fat content of roughly 70 percent, shelled pecans spoil easily; they should be frozen until ready to use. To check whole nuts for freshness, give them a shake; if the nut rattles in the shell, they are not fresh and should be discarded.

Pili - Although the Pili tree grows in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, only the latter produces and processes the nut commercially. The nut is encased in a hard shell, and when raw it resembles the flavor of roasted pumpkin seed; when roasted, its mild nutty flavor and tender-crispy texture is superior to that of the almond. Glazed and roasted pili nuts are a favorite snack in the Philippines.

Pine Nuts, also called piñons (Spanish) or pignoli (Italian), are diminutive nuts harvested from pine cones. The two main types are the torpedo-shaped Mediterranean pine nuts and the more assertive corn kernel-shaped Chinese pine nuts, which are commonly found in U.S. stores. Both can be used interchangeably. The nuts have a mild, wheat-y taste and a slightly waxy texture.

Pistachio Nuts that are sold in the U.S. are mostly cultivated in California. These mottled purple and green nuts are concealed in very hard, hinged shells. Though most often eaten out of hand, their crunchy texture and fruity, citrus-y flavor also work well in both savory and sweet dishes. Buy pistachios that are partially open, a sign that the nut is fully mature, and will be easier to shell. Avoid red pistachios, which are dyed.

Walnuts are encased in wrinkled shells that are very hard, but they have a distinct seam that runs the perimeter of the shell that makes them fairly easy to crack. The two main varieties are English (or Persian) and black. The English is more commonly available in the U.S. Walnuts have a crunchy, slightly oily texture and an earthy bitterness with a strong tannic aftertaste.

OILS

Oils, flavorful - Light and heat are oils' big enemies, so keeping oil in a clear bottle next to the stove is a big no-no. Even when stored in a cool pantry, flavorful oils (like olive and toasted sesame) will become rancid after several months. We suggest keeping toasted sesame oil in the fridge—even if you do a lot of Asian cooking it will go rancid in the pantry before you finish a small bottle. Olive oil becomes cloudy in the fridge, so it’s best kept in the pantry. Don’t buy more olive oil than you can use in a few months. And read labels for harvest or expiration dates. Olive oil is best used within one year of harvest date.

Oils, neutral-tasting - Neutral-tasting oils, such as canola and vegetable, are more forgiving, but don’t keep them for longer than one year. If in doubt, heat a little oil in a skillet. If the oil has off smell, throw out the bottle. Also, over-the-hill oils become viscous with time and sticky under the cap. If you’re having trouble loosening the cap on a bottle of oil, the oil should be thrown out.

Extra-virgin olive oil results from the first pressing of olives and is best used as a dressing. It’s a waste of your money to use this sometimes expensive oil for frying or sautéing—the high heat destroys its flavor—and there are times, such as when making mayonnaise, when such an assertive flavor isn’t appropriate. Inexpensive extra-virgin olive oil is often comparable to more expensive brands, so unless you’re sure of what you’re buying, you don’t necessarily get more quality for your money. Don’t combine extra-virgin olive oil with mustard—they don’t agree. If you like mustard in your vinaigrette, use “pure” olive oil or vegetable oil.

Pure” oil is the lowest marketable grade of olive oil which, in processing, has been stripped of most of its flavor components, leaving it with a very neutral taste. This is exactly the point—there are times when we don’t want our oil to have any taste. Use pure olive oil for frying and sautéing because it leaves none of the unpleasant fishy taste found in so many vegetable oils. It is also much less expensive than extra-virgin olive oil, whose flavor is destroyed by the heat. Many chefs use it as an all-round oil instead of vegetable oil.

Vegetable oil – unlike olive or nut oils, which are designed to contribute flavor to a dish, vegetable oils such as canola oil are suited for sautéing and frying and in salads when you don’t want the flavor of the oil to be noticeable. Most vegetable oils are relatively benign, but occasionally they take on an odd fishy taste; you may need to experiment with different oils—canola, safflower, peanut—and different brands.

Nut oils have become very popular, but take care with them. Raw nut oils—except for peanut oils—are almost always rancid before you even get them home, and if they’re not, they will be soon. The best-known maker of roasted nut oils is Le Blanc—their oils are not cheap in terms of price per volume, but you can use a tenth as much as you’d need of an oil made with raw nuts Store nut oils in the freezer. To avoid rancidity and have an oil with better flavor, buy nut oils made from roasted nuts; roasting the nuts brings out their flavor and helps preserve them.

Flavored oils – some cooks like to flavor their oils with herbs such as thyme or marjoram or with aromatic ingredients such as garlic. Use an inexpensive extra-virgin olive oil or pure olive oil, but never toy with the flavor of fine extra-virgin olive oil.

VINEGARS

Balsamic Vinegar – all kinds of vinegar that taste vaguely sweet with a hint of caramel hide under this name. Cheap balsamic vinegar, boiled down by half, is surprisingly good, but you shouldn’t pay much for it to begin with. Authentic (autentico) balsamic vinegar is aged in a succession of barrels made from different woods and is made from grape must, not wine. When authentic, and there are strict laws governing how and where it is made, balsamic vinegar is perhaps the priciest of all liquids, exceeding Bordeaux wine. One doesn’t use authentic balsamic vinegar on a salad; instead, serve it, with an accompanying eye-dropper, with simple pieces of grilled seafood, fruits or other dishes that benefit from its accent. There are two kinds of balsamic vinegar, and they're made by entirely different processes. The traditional technique takes a minimum of 12 years; the modern industrial method as little as a few hours. If you want a guarantee that you're getting true balsamic vinegar, look for the word tradizionale on these distinctive bottles—and be prepared to pay dearly. Sadly, there’s no law defining balsamic vinegar in the United States, and manufacturers supply the huge demand any way they can, coloring and sweetening wine vinegar and calling it "balsamic vinegar of Modena." Tasted straight from the bottle, there is no contest between supermarket and true, traditional balsamics. Even the best of the commercial bunch--while similarly sweet, brown, and viscous—couldn't compete with the complex, rich flavor of true balsamic vinegar. With notes of honey, fig, raisin, caramel, and wood; a smooth, lingering taste; and an aroma like fine port, traditional balsamic is good enough to sip like liqueur. Don't waste your money on pricey traditional balsamic vinegar if you're going to toss it on salad or cook with it. The good stuff works best uncooked, as a drizzle to finish a dish, or as a dip for bread. In vinaigrette or cooked sauce, the sharpness of a supermarket balsamic adds a pleasingly bright contrast to the vinegar's natural sweetness.

Cider Vinegar is made by crushing apples and squeezing out the liquid; bacteria and yeast are added to the liquid to start the alcoholic fermentation process, and the sugars are turned into alcohol. In a second fermentation process, the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria. Acetic acid and malic acid give vinegar its sour taste. Unpastuerized or organic cider vinegar contains “mother of vinegar” which has a cobweb-like appearance and can make the vinegar look slightly congealed. Most cider vinegar off the supermarket shelf is harsh, but if you can find a good one, perhaps at a local farmers’ market, use it to simmer a chicken and finish the sauce with cream. Use it also to give a note of acidity to cabbage with apples or duck served with fruits.

Champagne Vinegar – while this vinegar tastes nothing like champagne, it offers a clean source of acidity without any bite.

Infused Vinegars – more often than not, fruit vinegars are indifferent wine vinegar infused with raspberries or other fruits that have been cooked down to concentrate their sweetness. The result is a candy-like fruitiness that can ruin a salad. Despite this, it’s worth experimenting with infused vinegars at home. The most reliable is tarragon vinegar—just shove sprigs of tarragon in a bottle of white wine vinegar—but other herbs such as marjoram or rosemary work as well.

Sherry Vinegar – at one time this was the best value among vinegars, but the quality of sherry vinegar has slipped, probably because stocks of old sherry have run low as sherry vinegar has become popular. Look for sherry vinegars with the age of the vinegar on the bottle.