Black Walnuts Break Out of Their Shells

Intensely pungent, black walnuts aren’t for everyone. But balance their bitterness with super-sweet desserts, embrace their earthiness with fall squashes and let them lend complexity to full-flavored fish, and you’ll soon understand why people go, um, nuts for Missouri’s state nut. 1. Butter To follow chef Josh Galliano’s recipe, soak 1 pound black walnuts in 2 quarts hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and lay flat on a baking tray. Toast walnuts in 400-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, being sure not to burn them. Place toasted nuts in a food processor with 1 teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoons sorghum molasses*, 5 tablespoons canola or walnut oil, 3 tablespoons Buffalo Trace bourbon and, if desired, 10 drops Terra Spice Bourbon Extract**. Pulse until smooth. Pack walnut butter into 3 8-ounce sterilized jars, eliminating air pockets. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of canola or walnut oil atop walnut butter. Cap jars and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. * Available at Local Harvest Grocery, localharvestgrocery.com ** Available at terraspice.com 2. Pesto In food processor, combine 1½ cups tightly packed fresh arugula, ¼ cup black walnuts, ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes marinated in olive oil (drained), ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and 1 garlic clove. Pulse gently. Add ¹∕³ cup olive oil and pulse to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Roasted nuts Bake ¾ cup each of almonds, cashews and black walnuts in 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons each of sea salt and dark brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon melted, unsalted butter. Toss nuts with spices while still hot and serve. 4. Fish Rinse and pat dry 6 catfish fillets. In shallow dish, beat together ¼ cup milk and 1 egg. In another dish, combine 2 cups cornmeal, ¼ cup finely pulsed black walnuts, ¹∕³ cup freshly chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and up to 3 teaspoons 33rd & Galena Chicken and Pork Rub***. Dip fillets in egg-milk mixture and coat both sides in cornmeal mix. Pan-fry in 1 tablespoon canola oil for 2 minutes per side, or until golden. *** Available at Penzeys Spices, penzeys.com 5. Rice In a medium saucepan, bring 2½ cups chicken broth to a boil. Stir in ¾ cup wild rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer until just tender, about 45 minutes. In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Saute ½ cup chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms, ½ cup chopped black walnuts, ¼ cup each of chopped red and yellow bell peppers. Cook for 3 minutes. Gently stir in wild rice and 2 teaspoons freshly chopped oregano. Season with salt and pepper. 6. Stuffed squash Cut an acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Rub each half with oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay on a foil-lined baking sheet cut-side down and bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Flip and bake for 20 minutes. Prepare ½ cup couscous with chicken broth. Over medium-high heat, saute ½ cup chopped shiitake mushrooms in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter just until soft. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter to pan and saute ¼ cup each of chopped carrots, chopped celery and chopped onions just until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon each of freshly minced sage and freshly minced thyme. Saute for 1 minute. Add 2 handfuls fresh spinach and saute until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Season inside of each squash with salt, pepper and minced thyme and sage. Fill each squash with half the couscous and filling and 2 tablespoons chopped black walnuts. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. 7. Ice cream Toast ¹∕³ cup chopped black walnuts in 350-degree oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add ¾ cup granulated sugar to butter and swirl until mixture is dark amber. Remove from heat and carefully add 1 cup heavy cream, whisking until smooth. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt and ½ cup maple syrup to the mixture and cook on low until combined. Transfer the caramel to heatproof container and stir in toasted nuts. Cool completely. Soften 1½ quarts vanilla ice cream. In a separate container, spoon in 1½ cups ice cream and 2 tablespoons caramel. Repeat until all ice cream and caramel are used. Swirl layers with a skewer. Freeze until ready to use. Pick up a 1-pound bag of black walnuts for $15 at Mound City Shelled Nut Co. 7831 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, 314.725.9040, moundcity.com.