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Pine Nuts are delectable little gems that when roasted provide a heavenly treat. They are akin to a guilty pleasure these days because of their astronomical cost, but still remain a much sought-after delicacy in my family.

Usually available in October, one pound of pine nuts used to go for $7.99. Last year they were $19.99 per pound, but unfortunately I did not see any due to harvesting scarcity. Pre-packed and shelled pine nuts for cooking cost roughly $2.50 per 2.25 ounces (or $29 for 27 ounces) because of the intensive labor needed in order to obtain them.

Short of foraging amongst the pine trees myself, I will be sadly devoid of the remarkable taste sensation for this year's autumn and winter seasons.

Admittedly, pine nuts are an acquired taste. I know very few people who enjoy them as I do. However, I like to think others might try pine nuts just once to see what all the fuss is about. Perhaps then my efforts in writing this article will have been well met.

CONTENTS:

About Pine Nuts

Eating Pine Nuts

Health Benefits of Pine Nuts

Recipes Using Pine Nuts

Links & Resources

Credits & Terms of Use

Site Menu

About Pine Nuts:

Pine nuts come from the many folds of the pine cone and are part of the Pinaceae family. They are often called "seeds" and have been cultivated for more than six thousand years in Europe, Asia and North America. They contain protein and dietary fiber, but because of their small size would not suffice as a whole meal or even as an appetizer. The shells are difficult to crack, so each torpedo-shaped nut obtained is to be savored.

Primary sources for the nuts come from the Stone Pine (Europe), Korean Pine (Korea), Chilgoza Pine (Himalaya), as well as Siberian Pine, Siberian Dwarf Pine, Chinese White Pine and Lacebark Pine.

The main pine tree species in North America include Colorado Pinyon, Single-Leaf Pinyon, and Mexican Pinyon. Other species, such as Gray Pine, Torrey Pine, and Sugar Pine are also harvested but less frequently.

Some historians believe that pine nuts date from Israel in 8th century B.C. The first recorded English-speaking use of pine nuts came in the 12th century in Medieval Britain. According to some historians, Ancient Greeks and Romans believed pine nuts contained aphrodisiac properties and preserved them in honey. The Greeks in particular felt Stone Pine was sacred to the God Neptune.

Pine nuts were once a staple food for Indians in North America. Native Americans were known to grind the seeds to make soup. Legend has it that a Pueblo Indian maiden ate pine nuts and became pregnant, later giving birth to Aztec conqueror Montezuma.

Pine Nuts are difficult to harvest, which accounts for their high cost these days. The pine cones are often gathered from the trees one at a time, or pickers place a tarp at the base of the tree and knock at the cones in the branches to shake the nuts loose. Once they fall to the ground, the tarp can be gathered up with the nuts inside. There are sometimes 100 nuts per cone.

After gathering, pine nuts are dried for several days and then cleaned. The most common method of cleaning is to use a wire mesh to separate the nuts from the broken cone scale and bracts (also known as chaff).

From the Bureau of Land Management:

Gathering, drying, shaking and cleaning pine nuts makes them ready to eat. Pine nuts are nutritious to eat as is without further enhancement. Their flavor may be improved by soaking the nuts in salted water, then toasting them in an open pan in the oven at a moderate temperature. Another method is to wash the pine nuts in cold water, salt them and put them in a covered roasting pan. Steam the pine nuts in a moderate oven for 15 to 20 minutes, remove the cover and stir until completely dry. Most people crack the outer shell with their teeth and eat the inner nut like eating sunflower seeds.

I've always baked pine nuts to obtain the best favor and texture.

Eating Pine Nuts:

Consuming pine nuts straight form the shell has always been my preferred method. The process is painstakingly slow but the taste is well worth it in the end.

To bake, spread pine nuts on a foil-lined baking sheet to avoid pine tar. Bake at 350-degrees F for about twenty minutes. Allow to cool before eating.

Pine nuts are also available shelled and pre-packaged in most grocery stores, although the cost per jar can often be hard to swallow.

The heavy pine flavor of the nuts might also leave a lingering aftertaste that can last up to three days. This seems to be more prevalent when the nuts are eaten raw rather than roasted. The nuts can be eaten raw, but when roasted the flavor tends to be more pronounced while leaving less bitter aftertaste.

Health Benefits of Pine Nuts:

Pine Nuts are high in monounsaturated fat, and include Vitamins, A, C and D. They also yield pine nut oil, which has a nutty flavor and is said to contain healthy antioxidants.

Pine Nut oil is generally pressed from edible seeds coming from several species of pine trees. The oil is generally not used during cooking because of its low smoke-point, but it is often added to dishes at the finish to add the element of it's flavor.

According to a study undertaken by Lipton Nutrition, pine nut oil can "help curb appetite by stimulating the release of cholecystokinin, a hormone that functions as an appetite suppressant."

Other research demonstrates that pine nut oil can also reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL's).

Dietary Values of several pine nut species:

Table Data Source: Forestry Department

Click here for pre-packaged pine nut nutrition values.

Recipes Using Pine Nuts:

While wonderfully satisfying eaten alone, pine nuts can also be added to other foods to marry the pine flavor with dishes including pasta, fish, vegetables, meats and rice.

Catfish with Pine Nuts

1/4 C pine nuts, ground (use mortar & pestle)

1/2 C cornmeal

1/4 C flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 C vegetable oil

1 LB catfish fillets

2 TBS pine nuts

In a bowl combine ground pine nuts with cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge the catfish fillets in the cornmeal-flour mixture. Pan fry the fillets for about 4 minutes on each side, or until the fish is opaque. Sprinkle with additional pine nuts.

Chicken & Pine Nut Salad

1/2 LB package mixed salad leaves

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3 TBS sunflower oil

6 bacon slices, chopped

4 TBS Russian or Catalina salad dressing

1/2 TBS olive oil

4 TBS pine nuts

Salt & pepper to taste

Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large salad bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until ready to serve. Clean and dry the chicken breasts, and slice them in long strips. Heat the oil in a wok or a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat until the bacon is browned and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Leave the bacon fat in the pan (or wok) with the oil, and add the chicken strips and cook them over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink.

Remove pan from the heat, and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the salad dressing, mixing well to coat all of the chicken (add more dressing if need be). Wipe out the pan and add the 1/2 TBS olive oil. Heat on medium high, and then stir in shelled pine nuts. Cook long enough to "toast" the nuts, stirring frequently (about 2 or three minutes). Stir into the chicken mixture. Take the salad bowl out of the refrigerator, and toss the chicken mixture with the lettuce. Serve at once.

Green Beans with Pine Nuts

1/4 C pine nuts, roasted

1 1/2 LBS green beans, trimmed & cut into 1/2" pieces

2 TBS lemon juice

2 tsp. Olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Toast the pine nuts in a baking dish in a 350-degree F oven for about three or four minutes, shaking the baking dish frequently. Steam green beans in boiling water or an electric steamer-cooker until tender. Drain green beans and transfer to a serving bowl. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Pine Nuts in Sugar

1 C pine nuts, shelled

1 C sugar

Melt the sugar in a clean, dry pan for about 10 minutes over medium-high heat. When the sugar is melted, add the pine nuts and stir to coat. Remove the pan from the heat and form the mixture into shapes similar to cylinders (let the mixture cool until you can handle it without burning yourself). Make each "cylinder" about 6" long and roughly 2" wide.

Pine Nut Pesto

2 TBS pine nuts, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

4 C basil leaves (4 oz.)

1/2 C fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 tsp. salt

Using a food processor, process the pine nuts and garlic until finely minced. Add olive oil and pulse three times. Then add the basil, Parmesan cheese and salt to the processor bowl. Process until finely minced, scraping down the sides. Toss with cooked pasta. Note: Refrigerate leftovers and use within seven days.

Pokerounce (Medieval bread & honey)

8 oz. honey

Pinch each of ginger, cinnamon, pepper & nutmeg

Sliced bread

1 TBS pine nuts

Place honey in a saucepan, and then add the spices. Stir over low heat until the honey and spices are well-blended. Be careful not to let the honey burn. Cool the mixture, and then toast individual slices of bread (bread quantity will depend on how much of the honey mix you dollop on each slice). Cut the slices of bread into quarters (either square or lengthwise), and lay them flat on a plate or cookie sheet. Drizzle the honey mixture over the toast pieces, and then place the pine nut kernels upright into the bread so they are erect. Make patterns with the pine nuts, or eat the toast as it is.

Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise & seeded

1/4 C toasted pine nuts

1/4 C Romano cheese, grated

2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped

2 tsp. butter, melted

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Place squash cut side down in a large baking dish. Bake squash for fifty (50) minutes. Scrape the flesh of squash from the rind using a fork and place in a bowl. Add pine nuts, cheese, parsley, butter, salt, and pepper; toss to combine. Serve at once.

Pine Nut Links & Resources:

Diamond Nuts

Good from the Woods

How to Cook with Pine Nuts

LeBaron Pine Nuts

Pine Nut Harvest Regions

Pine Nut Oil

Pine Nut Species

Pinon Nuts.Org (BLM Colorado)

Pinion Penny Blog

Popularity of Pignoli (Epicurean)

Red River Foods

The Nut Factory (Pine Nuts)

Wholesale Pine Nuts

Wikipedia (Pine Nuts)

Wild Crops Pine Nuts

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