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Nuts & seeds taste SO much better when they've been toasted a bit. You can do it in a skillet or under the broiler, but those methods have a slow start, then require constant vigilance. I've finally come around to published methods...
Turn on oven to 350 F. Put nuts/seeds on a cookie sheet. When I'm toasting a lot of flax seeds I start by stirring every 10 minutes; when it's other nuts, start your checks at 5 minutes or less, depending on how full your sheet is. Keep checking/stirring until they start smelling amazing and getting slightly more golden. Then leave a nut out when you stir, let it cool for a minute and munch to see if it's where you want it.
OR if you want to toast just a few, Cook's Illustrated recommends:
Place the ingredient in a shallow microwave-safe bowl or pie plate in a thin, even layer. Cook on full power, stopping to check the color and stir every minute at first. As the food starts to take on color, microwave it in 30-second increments to avoid burning.
SESAME SEEDS:
1 lb toasted and roughly ground in a food processor yields about 4 cups. |
