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Hazelnut Oil - The Decadent Oil
Hazelnut oil is pressed from hazelnuts and has a strong flavor. It is used to make salad dressings and baked goods. It is quite expensive and usually exported from Turkey and areas of Asia. Some brands are made in the US and come from Oregon or Washington and a couple come from France. Because of its price, hazelnut oil is not usually used alone for frying or sautéing, but rather added to the food after cooking.
Because of hazelnut oil's strong taste, you might want to mix it with another oil, such as canola, to dilute its strong flavor and make it more stable for cooking with. Hazelnut oil is high in saturated fat so not great for deep-frying. It does not contain cholesterol. Using hazelnut oil in a chocolate recipe can have sublime results because the 2 pair together so well.
Roasted Hazelnut Oil
Roasted hazelnut oil has a delicious, nutty taste and is mainly used for dressing raw vegetables and making pastries. Combined with raspberry vinegar, it makes a great salad dressing. Its flavor can be overpowering so if this is not the taste you are after, you could mix hazelnut oil with olive oil and then add the rest of the dressing ingredients. You will still be able to taste it.
Non-Culinary Uses
Hazelnut oil nourishes the skin while penetrating quickly. It is a mild astringent and is a good choice for oily skin or acne sufferers. Hazelnut oil acts as a sun filter, so makes an efficient natural sunscreen. It helps to strengthen capillaries and is good if you suffer from thread veins or bad circulation.
Where to Buy Hazelnut Oil
You can find hazelnut oil in health food stores, specialty food stores and on the internet. Although it costs around $2 an ounce, a little does go a long way, both for culinary use and skin care.
Uses for Hazelnut Oil
- Dress salad greens with a mixture of sherry vinegar and hazelnut oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place half an avocado on salad greens including endive. Drizzle the avocado with hazelnut oil and garnish with chopped nuts, finely chopped blue cheese, salt and pepper. You can use half hazelnut oil and half walnut oil for this one.
- Pour a little bit on roast chicken, fish, or risotto just before serving for a nutty, fragrant kick.
- Use a little on poached pears or roasted beets to really bring out the flavor of the food.
- Drizzle hazelnut oil on to raw chopped cauliflower, season with salt and pepper and roast them until golden and crusty. This makes a delicious side dish.
Recipe - Asparagus with Roasted Hazelnut Oil
Ingredients -
1 tablespoon roasted hazelnut oil and more to taste
2 lbs asparagus, tough ends cut off
Pinch of sugar
½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Keep the asparagus bunch together, with the tips parallel. Add an inch of water to a 12" diameter skillet or pan, add the sugar and salt and bring to the boil. Place the asparagus in the water and boil, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender. This should take about 5 minutes. Drain the asparagus, arrange on a serving plate, and drizzle with hazelnut oil and season.
(Serves 4)
Wine Suggestion:
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