Walnuts contain 60 percent oil. The oil has a pleasant, nutty taste and is used mainly for salads rather than as a cooking medium. In fact, walnut oil is considered by the French to be one of the finest salad oils, especially compatible with bitter greens like endive, chicory, and escarole. The flavor is powerful, so a little goes a long way. For the best taste, select a high-quality brand. Read the labels; inexpensive nut oils are likely to be a blend containing only a small percent of nut oil. Like other nut oils, walnut oil turns rancid quickly at room temperature; it will keep for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

Paulette Mitchell, a culinary instructor, television personality, spokesperson, freelance food writer, and the award-winning author of 13 cookbooks, is known internationally for her quick-to-prepare recipes with gourmet flair. Paulette's most recently published cookbook is "The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet: Creative Cuisine Made Fast and Fresh." She is also the author of "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" and "The Spirited Vegetarian," which was voted "Best Book in the World on Cooking with Wine" at the 2005 Gourmand World Media Awards. Paulette says that international travel is her favorite source of culinary inspiration.