Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut

Now that it's starting to cool off, I'm veering onto the edge of a baking binge. (Friends and coworkers are about to benefit immensely.) Most quick breads are sweet like pumpkin bread, banana bread, cranberry bread...but this savory walnut bread that I found in the Recipes for Health section of the NY Times is a great alternative that can be served toasted at breakfast or topped with a goat cheese, aged cheddar, or triple cream followed by a nice glass of wine. I think it would also be tasty with a chopped herb like thyme or rosemary. But no matter what, you gotta like nuts since this is a super nutty bread. Not feeling nutty? Stick to corn bread...and stay away from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.



Quick Walnut Bread
(Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman)

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons walnut oil
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Butter or oil a loaf pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk or yogurt and the oils. Whisk in the flour mixture and fold in the walnuts. Scrape into the prepared loaf pan.

3. Bake the bread on a rack in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes to one hour, until nicely browned and a tester comes out clean. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then reverse onto a rack and allow to cool. Makes one loaf. The bread will keep for a couple of days wrapped airtight. It also freezes well.