Daniel Pfyl, hospitality management lecturer at Otago Polytechnic, shares some professional techniques to make your cooking easier.
To roast and skin hazelnuts
Spread hazelnuts on a baking tray and put in an oven set on 190degC fanbake for 5-10 minutes.
The nuts will smell good and the skins will be crisp and separating from the nuts. Tip the nuts on to a clean tea towel, and roll them round to slough off the skins.
Pick out the skinned nuts.
It is not necessary for every bit of skin to be removed.
Roasted hazelnuts can be ground in the food processor when cold, or roughly chopped.
Sprinkle on salads or fruit salads , use in macaroons or biscotti or other baking.
Roasted crushed hazelnuts are also used in many dukkah recipes.
If you would like to request a particular technique, please let us know.
Write to Tricks of the trade, Editorial Features, Otago Daily Times, P. O. Box 181, Dunedin or email odt.features@odt.co.nz with tricks of the trade in the subject line.
More information on cooking from the Otago Polytechnic can be found on www.otagocookeryl4.blogspot.com.
