, They’re Full Of Fat, But Nuts Are So Good

For many people, a diet devoid of nuts would lose much of its interest.

Nutless candy bars? Almost unthinkable.

No fresh basil pesto sauce? A summer pleasure lost.

Ice cream toppings minus the crunch, or a walnut-free Waldorf salad? No thanks.

Indeed, walnuts, macadamias, pistachios, almonds and pecans are a prevalent ingredient in the national diet.

And the news on nuts and their fat content may not be totally one-sided. A 1-ounce serving of walnuts contains 182 calories and 17.6 grams of fat, which means 87 percent of the calories are from fat. Clearly, given the U.S. Surgeon General’s guidelines of eating a total diet of 30 percent or less of calories from fat, this nut is on the fat side.

But according to a study conducted by researchers at Loma Linda University and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, walnuts - when consumed in moderation (1 to 2 ounces) five or more times a week, and coupled with decreased consumption of fatty foods - were found to significantly lower the risk of heart attacks in men by decreasing levels of serum cholesterol. This is because some of a walnut’s fat is composed of omega-3, which has cholesterol-lowering properties.

Like many other horticultural treasures, walnuts first appeared in California with the arrival of Franciscan fathers from Spain and Mexico. Santa Barbara County was the original site of the state’s first commercial grove.

These days, most of the state’s 195,000 acres of walnuts blanket central and northern California and account for 98 percent of the United States commercial crop, and twothirds of the world’s production.

Almonds are another important part of California’s agricultural scene. Not only are almond trees beautiful to look at, but they are also one of the state’s largest tree crops in terms of acreage and dollar value, providing all of America’s needs, and over half the world’s supply.

Rains and high winds have wiped out as much as 30 percent of this year’s crop. But usually in early spring, when portions of California’s historic Highway 99 are lined as far as the eye can see with a fluttering sea of blossoming almond trees, sightseers head for the roads around Fresno, one of the state’s major agricultural centers, to enjoy the fragrant explosion of blooms (which usually lasts from February through May).

Almond trees grace almost every California Mission garden along the historic El Camino Real, the road followed by the first Spanish missionaries. Today, California is still the only state in the nation to produce almonds commercially.

Macadamias have become synonymous with Hawaii, but contrary to popular belief, that state wasn’t the first to consider commercial production of the elegant nut.

The aborigines of eastern Australia knew of the nut long before the Western world elevated it to its superstar status. In 1857, Ferdinand von Mueller, the first European botanist to identify a macadamia nut tree, named it for his friend John Macadam, a scientist living in Australia.

A few specimens were brought over to Berkeley in the late 1890s, and only subsequently introduced to Hawaii as a commercial crop. Eventually, macadamias migrated south to San Diego County, where the handsome trees come in all shapes and sizes.

One of the drawbacks of fresh macadamias is that they are the hardest to crack. Indeed, after picking the brown-shelled nuts, the nut must be dried and cured, and then roasted for several hours in very low heat.

Macadamias, like other nuts, are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as fiber and vitamin E. To ensure the most healthful results, use shelled, unsalted, raw California macadamias for cooking.

Unlike macadamias, pecans are relative newcomers to the California nut scene. Another fairly recent import is the pistachio, which has taken to the state’s climate and topography with a vengeance.

Indeed, California has steadily been catching up to Iran - the world’s leading producer of pistachios - since 1976, the date of the state’s first commercial harvest. California now ranks as the secondlargest pistachio producer in the world.

The pistachio, a relative of the mango and the cashew nut, is native to the Middle East. The first ones to reach American shores from that area were originally dyed red by importers to camouflage defects in the shell, leading to the mistaken belief held by many unsuspecting consumers that the nutshells were naturally bubble-gum pink in color. In their natural state, however, the small, tan-colored shells hang in delicate, grape-like clusters from the leafy medium-sized trees.

The following recipes, except for California Walnut Noodles, are from some of the state’s nut farmers themselves.

California Walnut Noodles

Recipe from the California Walnut Marketing Board.

Dressing:

1/2 cup nonfat yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

Salad:

12 ounces spaghetti or linguine

2 cups cooked, skinless, boneless, diced chicken breast

1 sweet red or green pepper, thinly sliced

1 cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons minced jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2/3 cup walnut sprinkles (recipe follows)

To prepare dressing, whisk together yogurt, orange juice, vinegar, brown sugar, oil, ginger root, pepper flakes, garlic and salt to taste. Set aside.

To prepare salad, cook pasta in boiling salted water according to manufacturer’s instructions. Drain in colander. Rinse well and drain again. Place in bowl. Toss pasta with 3/4 of the dressing.

Combine chicken, sweet red pepper, cucumber, jalapeno pepper, cilantro and green onions with remaining dressing. Mound pasta on large platter or shallow bowl. Spoon chicken mixture down center. Top each serving with 1/4 of walnut sprinkles.

Yield: 4 servings.

Walnut Sprinkles

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup fresh white bread crumbs

1 tablespoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

Process walnuts in food processor until finely ground but still light and dry. Combine with bread crumbs. Spread mixture on baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Stir in paprika, cayenne and salt. Cool to room temperature. (Mixture will keep in airtight container about 10 days.)

Yield: 1 1/4 cups.

Dolly’s Medallions with Pistachio Butter

Dolly and David Fiddyment’s smooth-assilk pistachio butter is processed from firstgrade pistachios to yield a richer, smoother product. It is paler in color than other varieties.

2 pounds sliced turkey breast

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup chicken stock or chicken broth

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup cognac, optional

5 tablespoons Fiddyment pistachio butter or more, to taste (see note)

Lightly pound turkey medallions on flat surface or cutting board to tenderize them. Melt butter in large skillet over medium to high heat and saute medallions about 2 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm.

Add wine and deglaze pan drippings, stirring to incorporate brown bits. Boil until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream, stock, pepper to taste and cognac (if desired). Boil, stirring, until sauce is again reduced by half. Remove from heat. Whisk in pistachio butter until blended. Add more pistachio butter if thicker sauce is desired. Pour sauce over warm turkey medallions and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Pistachio butter is available by mail order from Fiddyment Farms, 5000 Fiddyment Road, Roseville, CA 95678; call 1-800-859-4038.

Tom Cooper’s MolassesMacadamia Nut Biscotti

These crunchy biscotti are prominently displayed at Cooper’s Nut Farm in Fallbrook, Calif.

3/4 cup butter, margarine or safflower oil

1 cup granulated sugar plus extra for logs

1/4 cup light molasses

1 egg

2 cups presifted flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup raw macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup raisins

Combine butter, granulated sugar, molasses and egg in large bowl and beat until smooth. Mix flour, baking soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and salt in separate bowl. Mix butter mixture with flour mixture until well combined. Fold in nuts and raisins.

On clean surface, divide dough into 2 equal parts. Shape each half into log about 2 inches in diameter and 12- to 14-inches long. Sprinkle some granulated sugar and any crumbled nut meats on piece of aluminum foil long enough to hold log. Roll each log back and forth on foil until covered with mixture. Set logs on rimless, ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until crust forms, about 16 minutes. (Logs will flatten considerably as they bake.)

Remove logs from oven and cool a few minutes. (They will harden as they cool.) Cut logs with very sharp knife into diagonal slices 1 1/2-inches wide. (Tom Cooper uses a meat cleaver). Biscotti will be about 3-inches long. Place biscotti on rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Yield: About 40 biscotti.

Dolly’s Viva Pistachio Pie

This sumptuous pie is one of Dolly Fiddyment’s creations. For an even richer flavor, the pioneering pistachio grower sometimes lets the ice cream soften and mixes it with 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other fruity liqueur. The pie can be prepared ahead, although Dolly usually assembles it right before serving.

About 12 macaroon cookies

1/4 cup unsalted pistachios

1 cup cleaned, hulled and crushed strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 pint pistachio ice cream, slightly softened

3 cups whipping cream, whipped

Whole strawberries for decoration

Crush macaroons a few at a time in blender or food processor. Add pistachios and process until coarsely chopped. Spread mixture in ungreased 10-inch pie plate. With fingertips, press to cover bottom of plate evenly with mixture. Set aside.

Place crushed berries, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until mixture thickens. Let cool.

Spread berry mixture in pie plate. Cover and freeze 30 minutes. When frozen, spread ice cream evenly over top and refreeze. Top with whipped cream. Decorate with whole berries. Serve immediately. Or spread with whipped cream and refreeze until ready to serve, then top with whole berries.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie.

Note: Pistachios have a 12-month shelf life when kept refrigerated in airtight container. Eight ounces of inshell pistachios yield 4.5-ounces or 2 cups shelled nuts.

Kitty Morse is the author of several books including “The California Farm Book.”

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Notes about nuts Nuts contain oils, and can turn rancid. To preserve them for long periods of time, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or freeze them for up to a year. Raw, unshelled nuts will keep better. Toasting nuts brings out their rich flavor. Toast them on top of the stove in a nonstick skillet, tossing them around until they turn golden brown, or place them in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet, and bake them at 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often and watching carefully so they don’t burn.