Walnut

Comfort food, Peruvian style. The chile sauce's brilliant yellow hue comes from a pinch of turmeric, as well as bottled ají amarillo paste, which also lends a fruity heat. It is thickened with bread and walnuts (a tasty trick for stretching foods to feed many mouths) and blended to a satiny smoothness. Although Peruvian cooks usually shred the chicken and add it directly to the sauce, we like the elegance of serving the roast chicken breasts on top of the sauce and passing extra around in a gravy boat.

Périgord is as famous for its walnut trees as it is for its black truffles. In this rich tart, a substantial, buttery crust cradles a chewy, candylike caramel filling bursting with deep, nuanced flavor.

The bacon and sautéed nuts play well against the greens. If you like your food a bit tart, add a splash of Sherry vinegar.

These mouthwatering sandwiches are packed with zesty flavor. Wrap them up and serve at a picnic.

This is a taste of prewar Hungary, from the family repertoire of my dear friend, Judy Abrams, gifted teacher and poet. Based on ground walnuts and leavened only with eggs, this light, fudge-luscious cake has not a jot of butter or flour, making it Passover-perfect for meat or dairy meals. To conclude a meat meal, it is delectable plain or dusted fancifully with confectioners' sugar (a Passover recipe without cornstarch below) or glazed with a simple chocolate icing. For a dairy dish, cover the torte in swirls of lightly sweetened whipped cream or serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream on the side, accompanied by a steaming cup of strong cappuccino. Enjoy this beautifully moist and virtually no-fail torte not just on Passover, but year round. When well wrapped (without icing), it keeps very well, tasting even better a day or two after it is made. As with all nut pastries, be sure the walnuts you are using are very fresh-tasting.

Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor restaurant in New York City, developed this bitter, Cognac-based cocktail, which makes for a great after-dinner drink.

This cashew, pine nut, and walnut tart is reminiscent of a pecan pie, but caramel sauce stands in for the cornsyrup filling. Serve with dollops of freshly whipped cream.

Fuji apples add great red color. For a zesty flavor, substitute low-fat plain yogurt for the sour cream.

When preparing the chocolate, don’t chop it. Cut it straight down to get small, irregular pieces.

Walnuts are commonly paired with whole wheat, but something pretty great happens when you team them up with tangy rye and bits of sweet sautéed onion instead. A batch of these is especially tasty alongside a platter of your favorite cheeses.

Flaxseed is an incredible source of omega-3s.

This traditional dessert can be served warm from the oven or at room temperature. It's delicious topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, creme fraîche, or whipped cream.

This signature Payard treat delivers a delicious dose of heart-healthy fat and antioxidants, courtesy of the nuts and cocoa.

It's a holiday party—you must have cookies. We double your pleasure by offering not one but two buttery, nutty shortbread rounds in each cookie. They sandwich tart berry jam under a drift of confectioners sugar.

No need to heat up the oven. Not only is grilling faster than baking, but it also adds a nice smoky flavor to the pizza.

We had to forgo apple pie for this quick menu, but this deconstructed take is just as satisfying and very sophisticated.

A Syrian roasted-pepper and walnut spread, muhammara is a great alternative to hummus. 1 12-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers in olive oil with garlic, drained.

To make this fresh salad, you'll need the following on hand: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, walnuts, a Gala apple, tart cherries, minced shallots, honey, and frisée.

The trees of Hansel and Gretel's forest surely had bark like this, sparkling with sugar crystals and tasting of sylvan honey. Though the biscuits pair wonderfully with blueberries in gin syrup, they also make an excellent accompaniment to a cheese course—particularly with a nice triple-crème.