Nuez

Spread shelled walnuts in one layer on a baking tray and toast at 160 °C for 8–10 minutes, stirring once. Let them cool before chopping; they crisp up as they cool, and can burn quickly near the end.

Yes. Crack the shell and eat the kernel as it is, or chop it into porridge, yoghurt or salads. Discard kernels that smell paint-like or taste bitter and stale.

Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, where they stay fresh longer than in a warm cupboard. For longer storage, freeze them in a sealed bag; you can use them straight from the freezer.

Toast and crush them for walnut pesto, or fold chopped walnuts into banana bread, brownies and biscuits. They also add crunch to salads and roasted vegetables.

Walnuts pair especially well with pears, apples, blue cheese and beetroot. Try them toasted in a salad with pear and blue cheese, or scatter them over roasted beetroot.

Yes. Use walnuts in the same amount as pine nuts; toasting them first softens their slightly bitter edge. Blend with basil, garlic, hard cheese and olive oil.

The edible part is the seed inside the walnut’s hard shell. Botanically, a walnut grows inside a fleshy fruit, rather than being a true nut.