Nuts in Savoury Dishes

lizzief79

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Often, nuts are seen as a snack or an ingredient in sweet dishes. However, I often use them in savoury dishes too. Peanuts are good in curries or for making chicken satay, trout with almonds is delicious, crushed nuts make a nice topping as part of a gratin dish and I had chopped walnuts to stuffed courgettes (zuchinni). How do you use nuts in savoury dishes?
 
Like you I often use nuts in stir fry type dishes - I really like cashews in them, or peanuts - satay sauces are delish! I use pine nuts to make pesto and I also use them for some added crunch in my stuffed peppers (I just mix them in with the cooked ground meat and couscous - I love the texture!)

Sometimes I even throw them in salads - just for texture again. Walnuts, peanuts, slivered almonds - whatever I have on hand will do!
 
I've never used nuts in cooking, sweet or savory, so the ideas listed above are intriguing. Unless almond flour or peanut butter in baking counts? We just eat nuts straight from the bag.
 
I never use nuts when cooking. I usually have them on hand just never really thought of adding them to dishes, I have had them in various dishes at restaurants and enjoyed them. We eat them straight out of the bag also,
 
I am not averse to hurling a handful of cashews into a curry. Then again, I'm prepared to put all sorts of things (meat excepted) into a curry. A few sultanas don't go amiss, either.
 
In our home during the holidays, we make our special fruit salad. Aside from the can of fruit cocktail that is complemented by a can of grapes, we add crushed nuts. My favorite is the grated almond but my husband, when he is the one who makes the salad, would add cashew nuts. He would cut the cashews in small pieces (not grind but just cut) so you can still chew the cashew when you eat the salad. Holiday guests are always amused with that salad.
 
We often use nuts and seeds in dishes. Cashew nuts are excellent for adding to strews, soups and casseroles. I often cook them with rice as well. And as for adding then to salads, that is normal. They are an excellent source of protein and it seems a waste to miss the opportunity to get extra protein into our diet!
 
We often use nuts and seeds in dishes. Cashew nuts are excellent for adding to strews, soups and casseroles. I often cook them with rice as well. And as for adding then to salads, that is normal. They are an excellent source of protein and it seems a waste to miss the opportunity to get extra protein into our diet!
Its funny, there are very few foods I dislike (aside from cup-cakes!) but I really don't like cashew nuts. I find them very 'greasy'. I'm not someone who eats a very fatty diet, so I suppose that may be the reason. But I do use other nuts. Right now the Cobnut is in season and Kent has an abundance of this feral Hazelnut. I even saw some locally sourced in Waitrose the other day. I'll hunt out a recipe...
 
I love cobnuts but I refuse to post the silly prices asked/demanded of them so sadly don't get many anymore! It's the same with chestnuts. I can get them wild for free so why pay £3.99 put more for 200g unpeeled weight?
 
Cashew nuts are great in stir fry! They add a bit of crunch to the vegetables. I've also found that peanuts are the primary ingredients to Pad Thai which I absolutely love. It's sweet, sour and savory all at the same time and adds to this great umami-ness to the dish. I never thought rice noodles, a bit of parsley and peanuts could work but it sure did. Adding a bit of bird's eye chili will bring the spice out in your Pad Thai.
 
Often, nuts are seen as a snack or an ingredient in sweet dishes. However, I often use them in savoury dishes too.

I like to eat nuts just as they are. I do not like them in sweet dishes and cannot remember ever tasting them in savoury dishes. I am not even fond of nuts in chocolate bars nor ice cream. I know some people like to flavour their great cake at Christmas time with peanut butter, but I prefer my cake without the peanut butter flavour. However, I do like peanut butter and use it as a spread for bread or biscuits.
 
I don't find I use nuts in my dishes. Sometimes in baking. I am seen as a 'nut' (crazy person) by my friends though, and sometimes might have nuts day after day until I get tired. Generally, it's mixed nuts and I am not a big fan of cashew nuts.
 
I put nuts cashews and almonds in my soups. They add a nice little crunch. I put them in right before I get ready to serve the soup, so they will still be crunchy. You can put nuts in almost anything. Their flavor is compatible with most things. I read about scrambled eggs and cashews once, but haven't gotten around to trying it. I love to put nuts and seeds on my salads as well, but that's not really savory is it?
 
I did a chicken balatine nye and did it with smoked bacon and pistachio nuts,I have done this dish since the 80s a tradition dish ,not modern by any standard and my eldest son couldn't get his head around it ,
I served it with roasted red pepper jam,basil beurre blanc,dauphinoise potatoes and pousse epinard
 
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