Nuts

Spread them in a single layer on a baking tray and roast at 160 °C for 8–12 minutes, stirring once. They keep browning a little as they cool, so take them out when fragrant and just lightly golden.

Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard; shelled nuts stay fresh longer in the fridge or freezer because their oils can turn rancid. Let chilled nuts come to room temperature before serving so their flavour comes through.

Fresh nuts smell mild and taste pleasantly nutty. Discard them if they smell like old oil, paint or crayons, or taste bitter or stale.

Chopped nuts add crunch to porridge, salads and roasted vegetables, while toasted nuts work especially well with honey, dried fruit and soft cheeses. They are also used in pesto, nut brittle and cakes.

For crunch, try toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds; in baking, use them in the same amount as chopped nuts. If the recipe relies on ground nuts for its structure, seeds may change the texture, so choose a recipe designed for them.

Botanically, peanuts are legumes: they grow in pods underground, unlike tree nuts such as almonds and walnuts. In cooking, though, people commonly group them with nuts because they are used in similar ways.

Whole nuts can cause choking and are not suitable for children under five. For younger children, use smooth nut butter spread thinly rather than whole or chopped nuts; nuts can also trigger serious allergies.

A small handful, about 30 g, is a practical snack portion. Choose plain or dry-roasted nuts if you want to avoid added salt or sugar.