Sweet and savory indulgence

Sunset, Nov, 1998 by Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

4. Cut strings from pork, slice meat (it tends to tear apart), and serve with taro mixture and juices. Add salt to taste.

Per serving: 356 cal., 30% (108 cal.) from fat; 35 g protein; 12 g fat (4.2 g sat.); 26 g carbo (1.6 g fiber); 171 mg sodium; 103 mg chol.

Another way to skin a nut

* I've noticed packaged roasted skinned hazelnuts from Oregon at the market of late. But they aren't plentiful everywhere yet, so it's still useful to know how to skin the nuts. You can toast hazelnuts to loosen most of the brown papery, slightly bitter skin. But a more efficient process is to blanch the nuts with baking soda to soften the skin so it slips off easily The downside is that water also softens the nuts, so you still need to toast them. When they're crisp, season them for a handy appetizer.

1. To blanch: In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, bring 4 cups water and 1 tablespoon baking soda to a boil. Add up to 4 cups hazelnuts. Cook 3 minutes.

2. Drain nuts, immerse in cold water, and rub between your hands to loosen most of the skins. Drain again and spread nuts on a towel to dry. Scrape off any clinging skin with the tip of a small, sharp knife.

3. Put nuts in a single layer in a rimmed. pan. Bake in a 300 [degrees] oven to dry nuts well, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool in pan at least 15 minutes. Return to oven and toast until nuts are golden brown, shaking pan occasionally. Use, or cool and chill airtight up to a week; freeze to store longer.

Spiced Hazelnuts

In an 8- or 9-inch square pan, combine 1 cup skinned, toasted hazelnuts (preceding), 2 teaspoons butter or margarine, and 1/4 teaspoon each ground coriander, pepper, and salt. Bake in a 300 [degrees] oven, shaking pan frequently to mix well, until butter is melted and nuts are hot and coated with spice mixture, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Makes 1 cup.

Per 1/4 cup: 199 cal., 90% (180 cal.) from fat; 3.8 g protein; 20 g fat (2.5 g sat.); 4.5 g carbo (2.4 g fiber); 164 mg sodium; 5.2 mg chol.

Wasabi makes new contacts

Networking with potatoes

* My friend Vaughn Davis, who came by his taste for wasabi honestly - from his Japanese mother - was recently surprised to find this potent green horseradish on a restaurant menu, mixing it up with mashed potatoes. The wasabi potatoes were served with roast chicken. Intrigued by this defection from tradition, he tried an even bolder version, enhancing wasabi's green presence with parsley He serves his potatoes with salmon. Use refrigerated wasabi paste in tubes or canned wasabi powder.

Green Wasabi Potatoes

Peel 3 pounds thin-skirted potatoes (red, white, or Yukon gold), rinse, and cut into 2-inch chunks. In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine potatoes and 3 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer until potatoes mash easily, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, reserving broth. Put 3/4 cup broth and 1 cup rinsed, chopped parsley in a blender. Whirl until smooth. Add parsley mixture and 1 tablespoon wasabi paste or powder to potatoes. Beat with a mixer or mash with a potato masher until smooth, adding more broth to make potatoes as creamy as you like. Season to taste with salt and more wasabi (I like 2 tablespoons total). And for a smoother texture, mix in 1/4 cup whipping cream. Makes 6 cups; 6 servings.