Oil can get really hot in a microwave. Nuts are full of oil. We wanted to see if we could roast nuts in the microwave. We started with raw walnuts and microwaved them on high in 1-minute intervals. We stirred them after each minute and tasted them after each stir. As they cooked, their nuttiness increased and the aroma of roasted nuts filled the kitchen. After 5 minutes we had crisp, aromatic nuts. They did not have the same dark color and intense flavor development that we have achieved with low temperature (250°F) roasting for about an hour. What these nuts had was a bold walnut flavor and light crunchy texture that was achieved in a really short time.
Years Past