Sherried Walnuts Recipes

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• Place the brown sugar, white sugar, salt, sherry, orange zest, and orange extract into a heavy saucepan, and stir until well combined. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly; boil for 1 minute. Stir in the butter. Remove from heat, and stir in the walnut halves to coat with syrup.
• Spread the candied walnut halves out onto the prepared baking sheet, and allow to cool thoroughly, at least 1 hour. Break into bite-size chunks to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small ovenproof casserole or roasting pan place the beets with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Toss to coat well and push to 1 side of the pan. In a piece of foil, place the carrots with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Toss to coat well. Wrap the foil tightly and place alongside the beets in the roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until the beets are crisp-tender, about 45 minutes. The carrots may be done earlier, so check occasionally. Remove the beets from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Toss with the tarragon and chives and set aside to cool to room temperature.
• In a mixing bowl combine the sherry vinegar, honey, remaining salt, and remaining pepper and whisk to combine. While continuing to whisk, add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and the walnut oil in a thin, steady stream, until smooth and emulsified.
• Place the lettuce in a salad bowl and add the beets, walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the salad, to taste, and toss to thoroughly combine. Serve immediately, drizzled with additional vinaigrette, if desired.

Steps:

• Line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper. Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until clip-on candy thermometer registers 240°F., about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add nuts and stir until syrup begins to look cloudy, about 2 minutes. Divide mixture between cookie sheets. Working quickly, separate nuts with fork. Cool. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Steps:

• Combine the vinegar, mustard, and salt. Whisk in the oil.

Steps:

• Toss the minced shallots with the salt in a bowl and let the shallots "weep" for a few minutes. This helps them flavor the vinaigrette more quickly. Whisk in the mustard and sherry vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the walnut oil and the olive oil. It's not important to keep this vinaigrette emulsified. If the oil and vinegar separate, just stir vigorously to recombine them before using. Season with the pepper and more salt if needed. This vinaigrette will keep several weeks in the fridge.
• *Once oil has been opened, store it in the fridge to slow down the oxidation that leads to rancidity - especially a problem for nut oils.

Steps:

• Put a 13- by 9-inch shallow flameproof roasting pan (not glass) in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Pat duck dry and trim off any excess fat. Score duck skin in a crosshatch pattern at 1/2-inch intervals with a sharp knife, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place duck, skin sides down, in roasting pan and roast until thermometer inserted diagonally into center registers 135°F, 25 to 30 minutes for medium-rare.
• Preheat broiler. Turn duck over and broil (skin sides up) 6 inches from heat until fat is golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to at least 145°F.)
• While duck stands, pour off all but 2 teaspoons fat from pan, then add shallots and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add vinegar, along with remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl, then whisk in oil until combined. Stir in walnuts.
• Thinly slice duck and serve with vinaigrette drizzled around plates.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange pears and shallots in a single layer in a small roasting pan; pour honey mixture on top, and toss well to coat. Cook until pears and shallots are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 30 minutes, turning them over halfway through.
• Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, 3 tablespoons oil, and mustard; season with salt and pepper.
• Remove roasted pears and shallots from roasting pan. Place pan over high heat; add the water, and cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon, until liquid is reduced by half. Whisk mixture into vinaigrette.
• Combine frisee and endive in a large bowl; toss with vinaigrette. Divide among plates, and arrange pears, shallots, and walnuts alongside.