Walnuts are so unfairly maligned.

Hastily banished into brownies, quick breads, cakes, and muffins without so much as a kiss of warmth on their naturally tannic skin marks them as either a pest to be flicked at, or a dealbreaker to be avoided completely.

Wouldn't we be bitter if we were shoved--naked, cold, and pasty--on stage, expected to show off against the likes of dark chocolate?

Treat walnuts nicely--an 8 minute bask in a dry pan on the stove top, or on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven--and they will let you in on the innermost essence of their nooks and crannies.

All of sudden, relegating them solely to desserts seems glaringly short-sighted.

Cast them as a toasty foil to buttery avocado in a show-stopping salad. Or purée them with slightly plumped sun-dried tomatoes and basil for an addictive spread topped with crumbled goat cheese. Or brown them with butter, capers, and lemon for a glamorous chicken dinner makeover.

The Golden Rule really does apply to everything.