Ah, nuts!

A half-cup of them were worth $3,000, which is what the Walnut Marketing Board shelled out for the grand prize in a recipe competition for students at the Culinary Institute of America.Christine Leopold, studying at the Hyde Park, N.Y., campus, won with a recipe for Roasted Fennel Soup With Walnuts and Stilton.

Recipes, all containing walnuts, were judged on taste, creative use of ingredients, ease of preparation and appearance. In addition to the grand prize, there were first- and second-place awards for appetizers and salads, entrees and desserts.

Fennel is low in calories but high in Vitamin A and minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron. "When combined with walnuts that provide protein, fiber and essential fatty acids like omega-3's," the contest sponsors said, "this soothing soup becomes a delicious nutritional powerhouse for any season."

ROASTED FENNEL SOUP WITH WALNUTS AND STILTON

1 large bulb fennel, cut into quarters

2 tablespoons canola oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 leek, white part only, sliced

1 cup russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup Stilton cheese, crumbled

1 lemon, zest only, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced

Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss fennel with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast fennel on baking pan until tender and golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

While fennel is roasting, heat remaining oil in a heavy, medium-sized pot over a medium-low flame. Add leeks, stirring to coat with oil. Cover pot and cook the leeks for 5 minutes, until they are translucent. Add potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Puree mixture with a hand-held blender or in a food processor until smooth.

Allow fennel to cool. When easy to handle, slice fennel in 1/2-inch strips. Add to potato mixture, along with dry sherry and the half-and-half to reach the desired texture of the soup. Return to a simmer and stir in walnut pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss Stilton cheese with the lemon zest. To serve, ladle soup into warm bowls, top each with a tablespoon of the Stilton mixture. Sprinkle with minced chives and extra walnuts if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: 300 cal, 22 g fat (5 g saturated fat) 22 mg chol, 489 mg sodium, 7 g pro, 19 g carbo, 4 g fiber.

WALNUT MACAROONS

2 cups walnuts

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, finely grind the walnuts with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Combine the ground walnut mixture, remaining sugar, egg whites and salt in the top of a double boiler over, but not touching, simmering water. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves (to 130 F). Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

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To shape macaroons, spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with the 1/2-inch plain tip. The mixture should be soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold its shape. If it is too stiff to pipe, add more egg white, a little at a time, until the mixture has the proper consistency. Pipe 2-inch half-dome shapes on a parchment-lined or buttered baking sheet.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the macaroons are very light brown and the tops crack slightly. Cool on the baking sheet and store in an airtight container. If the macaroons stick to the parchment, spray the back of the paper with water to remove them easily.

NOTE: If you don't have a pastry bag, drop gently rounded large tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking sheet. Makes about 15 macaroons.

Nutritional information per serving: 391 cal, 25 g fat (2 g saturated) 7 g protein, 41 g carbo, 2 g fiber, 71 mg sodium.

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