L ifestyle /C ulture
Nuts for Hazelnuts
F OO D
KERI WHITE | JE FOOD COLUMNIST
WHILE TRAVELING in
Italy this fall, I visited the
Piedmont region in the
country’s northwest part. This
is prime hazelnut country, and
I was lucky enough to tour the
Barroero Farm.

The operation is impressive;
in addition to growing and
supplying hazelnuts for local
businesses and customers,
the family runs a bakery
and confectionery on-site
where they produce gianduja
(chocolate hazelnut spread),
an assortment of cookies and
cakes, hazelnut butter and a
variety of roasted and seasoned
hazelnuts. As a result of the regional
ubiquity of hazelnuts, many
of the restaurants incorporate
them into their dishes, both
savory and sweet.

I took a cooking class at
Trattoria Risorgimento in
Trieso, and the chef featured
hazelnuts in both the main
course and the dessert. Both
were delicious, although I took
exception to the name of the
dessert: chocolate salami is a
hideous handle. I wondered if
perhaps it sounded better in
Italian, but “salame di ciocco-
lato” was just as bad.

However, as Shakespeare
said, “What’s in a name?
That which we call a rose by
any other name would smell
as sweet.” And the dessert
is unquestionably delicious
regardless of its moniker.

HAZELNUT-CRUSTED TROUT
WITH CHICKPEA SAUCE
Serves 4
Chef Goele used local-
ly-sourced salmon trout for
this dish, but any mild fillet
would be fine here —flounder,
white trout, black or striped
bass, snapper, fluke, etc.

The sauce was a delicious
use of chickpeas and made for
a lovely, healthy accompani-
ment to the fish. It would be
wonderful as a dip, a topping
for vegetables or on chicken or
meat (if the latter, kosher diners
can eliminate the cheese).

However, the fish stands
perfectly well on its own, so
if a sauce is not desired, or
you don’t feel like cooking and
Hazelnut-crusted trout with chickpea sauce
20 NOVEMBER 18, 2021
pureeing the chickpeas, let the
fish go it alone.

For the sauce:
1½ cups dried chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan
cheese Salt/pepper to taste
For the fish:
1½ pounds salmon trout
fillets 1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup crushed hazelnuts
4 leaves sage, finely
chopped Salt/pepper to taste
1 stick butter, melted
For the sauce: Soak the
beans overnight or for 1 hour
in boiled water. Drain them,
and cover them with water.

Add the onion, and simmer for
about 90 minutes until the peas
are soft.

Puree the chickpeas, then
add salt, oil and cheese. If the
sauce is too thick, add some
broth or water. Set the sauce
aside and keep it warm in
preparation for garnishing the
fish. For the fish: Heat your
Photos by Keri White
JEWISH EXPONENT
Chocolate salami
oven to 325 degrees F. Mix the
1 cup dark chocolate chips
breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, sage,
5 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper in a shallow
⅓ cup milk
bowl. Dredge the trout in the
¼ cup cocoa powder
melted butter and then dredge
2 cups crushed plain
it in the breadcrumb mixture
cookies (such as social
to coat. Press gently to ensure
teas, digestive biscuits,
adherence. Place the fish in a
graham crackers)
parchment-lined pan and bake
⅔ cups crushed hazelnuts
it 15-20 minutes until done.

Plate the fillet with warm sauce
Melt the butter and choco-
on the side, and drizzle the late in a large bowl in your
sauce with a bit of olive oil, if microwave on 50% power.

desired. When melted, add the milk
and cocoa powder; stir until
CHOCOLATE SALAMI
smooth. Add the cookies and
nuts, and stir until coated.

Chef used ultra-pasteurized
Transfer the mixture onto
eggs in his version, which a parchment or wax paper
were uncooked. I still have an sheet, and roll it into a log,
aversion to consuming raw pressing firmly to remove all
eggs, even if they are ultra-pas- air pockets. Twist the ends,
teurized, so I have brazenly and refrigerate for 4 hours or
altered his recipe. In this overnight.

version, I omit the eggs and use
Peel off the paper, slice
milk along with dark choco- the log into discs, sprinkle
late. The results are excellent, them with powdered sugar, if
and there is no fear of illness.

desired, and serve. l
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