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Nut: Hazelnuts

Savory Biscotti with Oregon Hazelnuts, Olives & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic granules
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 15 olives, chopped
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 3/4 cup Oregon hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons, softened
  • 1/4 cup milk

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, fennel seeds, onion powder, garlic granules, and parmesan cheese.
  3. Stir in the chopped olives and sun-dried tomatoes until evenly distributed. Add the roasted Oregon hazelnuts and mix well.
  4. Combine the Wet Ingredients
  5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
  6. Add the egg, butter, and milk, then mix until a dough starts to form.
  7. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently to combine. Shape the dough into two logs, each around 8–9 inches long.
  8. Place the logs onto the prepared baking tray and bake for 18–20 minutes until slightly firm and golden.
  9. Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 minutes.
  10. Using a sharp knife, slice on the diagonal into ¼-inch thick slices. Arrange the slices back onto the baking tray, cut side up.
  11. Bake again for 10–15 minutes, or until dry and crisp.
  12. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy on their own, with cheese, dips, or as a crunchy side to soups!

Ice Cream Roche

DESCRIPTION

This recipe invites you to experience the magic of indulgence as we blend the smoothness of chocolate with the nutty goodness of hazelnuts, creating a dessert that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 quart of good quality vanilla ice cream
  • 4 tablespoons Oregon hazelnut paste
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 cup chopped Oregon hazelnuts
  • 5.25 ounces dark chocolate melted
  • 2 teaspoon Sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow to soften for 10 minutes, then transfer into a large mixing bowl with the cocoa powder and the Oregon Hazelnut paste.
  2. Stir together before returning to the freezer. Allow the ice cream to refreeze for a minimum of 1 hour, before scooping out and portioning into balls using an ice cream scoop.
  3. Roll each ice cream ball in chopped Oregon Hazelnuts before returning to the freezer.
  4. Meanwhile melt the chocolate, once melted drizzle over the ice cream balls and sprinkle with a little sea salt on each to bring the flavour out in the chocolate and the Oregon Hazelnuts.
  5. Keep the balls in the freezer until you want to serve them

Spinach, Ricotta & Oregon Hazelnut Rigatoni

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 1/2 cups rigatoni pasta
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 red chili, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup Oregon hazelnuts, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese
  • 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated 
  • 3 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the Pasta:

  1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni for 9 minutes, or until al dente

Make the sauce:

  1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced garlic and chopped red chilli, allowing them to soften and release their flavor.
  3. Stir in the chopped Oregon hazelnuts, letting them toast slightly for a deeper, roasted flavor.
  4. Add one ladle of pasta cooking water to the frying pan—this starchy water helps create a silky, emulsified sauce that binds everything together.
  5. Stir in the ricotta cheese and most of the grated parmesan, saving a little for the final garnish.
  6. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add it directly to the pan, followed by the baby spinach leaves.
  7. Toss everything together until the spinach wilts and the pasta is coated in the creamy, nutty sauce.
  8. Finish with the remaining parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Red Pepper & Oregon Hazelnut Dip with Feta Flatbreads

INGREDIENTS

  • 3/4 cup roasted Oregon hazelnuts
  • 3 red peppers, roasted until soft
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 3 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil flatbreads
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the Peppers

  1. Roast the red peppers in the oven at 400°F until soft and lightly charred.
  2. Once cooled slightly, remove the skins and seeds.

Blend the Ingredients

  1. Place the roasted peppers, Oregon hazelnuts, garlic, cumin seeds, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and bread into a blender or food processor.
  2. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. If you like a sharper tang, add a little more sherry vinegar. If you prefer a looser texture, drizzle in a bit more olive oil.

Serve & Enjoy

  1. Spoon the dip into a bowl and serve with warm flatbreads.
  2. For extra flavor, top with crumbled feta, a drizzle of olive oil, and an extra sprinkle of toasted hazelnuts.

Heavenly Bowl

Description

Place a serving of the rice (hot, warm or cooled) in a bowl, then top with a bit of the Heavenly Sauce, followed by the other ingredients listed and ending with the salsa. Add another dollop of the Heavenly Sauce, and bon appétit!

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe of Heavenly Jasmine Rice (below)
  • 1 1/2 cups of Heavenly Sauce (below)
  • 2 to 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, diced
  • 2 to 3 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 1 cup sliced black olives
  • About 3/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 1 cup black beans, canned or fresh-cooked
  • 1 1/2 cups salsa

Jasmine Rice Makes 6 to 8 servings

  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Heavenly Sauce Makes 2-1/2 cups

  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup roasted and skinned Oregon hazelnuts
  • 1/3 cup canned and drained garbanzo beans
  • 1/4 cup cooked and drained soybeans*
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast*
  • 1 tablespoon Ponzu sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon ascorbic acid (optional, for “zing”—available in the health food section of most supermarkets)*

* Found in local natural foods store.

Instructions

Jasmine Rice

  1. In medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in the butter until the onion is soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add the rice and sauté to evenly coat the grains.
  3. Add the water and salt, increase the temperature to medium-high and bring the water to a boil, stirring occasionally with a flat-bottomed utensil so the rice won’t scorch.
  4. Once the water has boiled, reduce the temperature to low, cover, and cook the rice at a very slow simmer for 20 minutes without uncovering the pot.
  5. After 20 minutes, check the rice. If all the water has been absorbed, the rice is done. Gently fluff it with a fork. If not serving immediately, place a paper towel over the top of the pot and put the lid back on to keep the rice hot (the paper towel absorbs condensation that would otherwise drip back down on the rice and make it soggy).

Heavenly Sauce

  1. In a blender, combine the oil, hazelnuts, garbanzo beans, soybeans and garlic. Pulse several times, stopping to scrape down the sides to ensure everything is fully blended.
  2. Once the mixture is a rough purée, add the water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, Ponzu sauce (or soy sauce), salt, basil, cumin, and ascorbic acid.
  3. Continue blending until the mixture is relatively smooth (it will remain grainy because of the nuts). Scrape it into a container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Cold Brew Hazelnut Smoothie Bowl

Description

Do you love that cup of coffee first thing in the morning? We do too, so we found a way to add hazelnuts to our favorite beverage. This cold brew smoothie bowl brings so many kinds of happiness together–hazelnuts, cold brew coffee, chocolate, honey and bananas. Great for breakfast, great for any time of day.

Ingredients

  • 1⁄2 cup ​Oregon hazelnuts
  • 1 banana, frozen and cut into chunks
  • 1⁄4 cup unsweetened cold brew coffee or strong brewed coffee
  • 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
  • 1 cup ice cubes, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 1 banana, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa nibs
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. On a medium baking sheet scatter hazelnuts. Place in the oven and bake until fragrant and the skins are blistered, 12-15 minutes. Let cool completely, then roughly chop.
  3. In a blender combine half the hazelnuts, banana, cold brew or coffee, honey or maple syrup, ice cubes, and espresso powder. Blend until smooth and pour into a bowl.
  4. Top with banana, cocoa nibs, hemp seeds, and remaining hazelnuts.

Sweet Potato, Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake

Hazelnuts, cake and chocolate–three things that just belong together. This sweet potato variation will delight the palate of any cake connoisseur!

Description

  • 1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled, resulting in 1 cup mashed
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup Oregon hazelnuts, finely chopped
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup half and half

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil. Add peeled sweet potato and boil until potato is soft. Drain and let cool slightly, then mash. Measure out 1 cup.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together mashed sweet potatoes and canola oil. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until well blended.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture, mixing until well combined. Finally, add chopped hazelnuts.
  6. Using a double boiler pot (or two pots stacked together), fill the bottom pot with 2 inches of water. In the top pot, combine chocolate, vanilla extract, and half and half. Turn heat on high and bring water in bottom pot to a boil, stirring the chocolate mixture until it’s fully melted. Remove from heat.
  7. Transfer ⅓ of the sweet potato mixture to melted chocolate and mix until fully blended.
  8. Butter the bottom of a 10-inch bundt cake pan. Pour chocolate mixture in and spread evenly. Next, pour sweet potato mixture in. Bake for 45 minutes. Test to make sure the thickest part is done. Let cool slightly before flipping.

Green Beans with Hazelnuts and Thyme

Description

These tender, lightly sauteed green beans will look gorgeous on any Thanksgiving table, but are also simple enough to make quickly for a casual dinner. Hazelnuts add their famous crunch and flavor in a surprisingly delicious pairing.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of fresh, slender green beans, trimmed
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped darkly roasted and skinned Oregon hazelnuts

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook just until the beans are becoming tender, about 4-5 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and immediately plunge the beans into ice water to stop the cooking and set the color.
  3. Drain well and set aside for up to several hours in the refrigerator.
  4. When ready to serve, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  5. Add 1 tablespoon of the thyme and gently sauté for 1 minute.
  6. Add the mustard and salt and stir to blend it into the butter.
  7. Add the beans to the skillet and sauté until the beans are just barely tender, which will take about 7 minutes.
  8. Toss with most of the hazelnuts and then transfer the beans to a serving bowl.
  9. Sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts and the remaining 1 tablespoon of thyme.

Four-Hearts Green Salad

Ingredients

  • 4 romaine lettuce hearts
  • 1 tablespoon honey or grape molasses
  • ¼ cup raw almonds
  • ¼ cup raw pistachios kernels
  • ¼ cup raw hazelnuts

Dressing

  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pistachio oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Thoroughly wash the lettuce. Pat dry and keep cool. In a nonstick skillet, heat the honey. Add the nuts, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until lightly caramelized. Set aside.
  2. To make the vinaigrette, whisk the mustard and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the olive and pistachio oils while whisking until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasoning to taste. Just before serving, toss the lettuce, nuts and vinaigrette. Serve in the center of individual plates.

Hazelnut Grits

Description

Taste the flavor of Oregon’s state nut in chef Kei Ohdera’s Hazelnut Grits.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 pint whole raw Oregon hazelnuts
  • 2 small onions, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed in 1/4 cup water
  • 5 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and White pepper

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to just a boil then reduce heat to medium-low until water is simmering. Add baking soda first, then hazelnuts. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the skins have softened. Drain hazelnuts and remove skins*. Pulse the hazelnuts several times in a food processor until finely chopped (approximately the size of a grain of rice). Set aside.
  2. Finely mince one onion and set aside.
  3. Take the second onion and slice evenly. Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions to a saucepan and reduce heat to low. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, but not browned.
  4. Add water and bring to a simmer. Whisk in cornstarch slurry and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Using an immersion blender, slowly pour in 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil and blend until smooth. Pour mixture through sieve to remove any chunks and set aside.
  6. Add remaining 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil to a separate pan and cook over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add minced onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add finely chopped hazelnuts and onion-cornstarch mixture. Stirring continuously and cook until thickened and the mixture resembles the consistency of grits.
  7. This recipe is easily customized by adding toppings such as fried shallots and herbs such as cilantro and parsley.

*To remove skins, rub hazelnuts vigorously with a clean dish towel.