Step 1 of 4

Toast the walnuts and let them cool

Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking often, until they smell nutty. Tip them onto a plate to cool completely.

— Warm walnuts stirred into a cold dressing go soft. Spreading them out to cool is the difference between a nut that snaps and one that bends.