Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dips and spreads based on nuts, beans and vegetables are popular as snacks or appetizers in the tapas or meze style. Whole nuts ground to specification, meal or nut butter help create authentic versions or adaptations of nut dips like Egyptian
dukkah (chopped nuts, herbs and spices, served with olive oil), French
caviar de poivrons (bell peppers, garlic, onion and walnuts) or Persian
bademjan (a mix that often includes eggplant, tomatoes and walnuts). Take some creative license with tapenade or roasted-red-pepper spread by adding nuts. Nut butters also provide a base to layer on the flavors. For example, start with almonds and add yogurt, honey, soy, ginger and mustard for an Asian almond dip that complements vegetables or serves as a base for salad dressing.
Many ethnically inspired nut sauces can be converted to thicker versions for use as dips or spreads. And, on the heels of the chimichurri trend, these same nut sauces and dips can be thinned out as full-flavor grilling or roasting pastes with ethnic flair.
From soups to milks
Nut soups are regaining popularity, and traditional, nut-based soups are a great launching point for creating unique versions. Consider variations of spicy African, Malaysian, Southern or Creole peanut soups; Algonquin
paganens (based on hazelnuts); classic curried cashew soup; or Spanish
ajo blanco (white gazpacho with blanched almonds, sometimes hazelnuts, and the nuts’ milk, along with garlic).
Nut milks add flavor and dairylike richness, and are a healthy and interesting alternative for anything creamy where a clean flavor is desired. Using nut milk in place of cream or rich stocks can also allow a salt reduction. In addition to traditional beverages such as horchata, nut milks are great in coffee drinks, smoothies, hot and cold soups, batters, and custards, giving them a lightly nutty flavor and richness. A creative alternative to dairy or soymilk, almond milk is finding its way onto dessert menus as a light, aromatic choice in panna cotta, crème brûlée, fillings and frozen desserts. As a base for custard, nut milks can add an ethnic flair to a dessert menu. A Mexican almond pudding called almendrado, molded and finished with a rich custard sauce, or sholeh zard, a Persian saffron pudding commonly made with basmati rice, sugar, almonds and almond milk, pistachios, saffron, cardamom, rosewater, and cinnamon, are at once both exotic and homey.
Nutty accessorizing
Nuts’ versatility works across all meal times as a crunchy, nutritional companion for protein, produce, grains and legumes. Whole nuts make a statement when used as a topping. Product designers can dial in the flavor and crunch factor by roasting, toasting, smoking, spicing, glazing or candying. In some cases, the specific nut variety can help achieve the desired flavor profile or performance. Nuts that have a wrinkled skin, for example, improve spice or flavor adherence.