It’s that time of the year again! A time to give thanks, be grateful, and celebrate the joy of togetherness and the advent of good times.
The festival sees family celebrating under one roof to thank each other for being a part of their lives and to remember to never take anything for granted. It’s no surprise then, that a festival as lovely as this one calls for some really special food. This is where California walnuts comes in. A handful of walnuts (28g) is packed with the essential fatty acid omega-3 ALA (2.5g) and has protein (4g) and fiber (2g). These super nuts elevate the nutrition value and give a flavorful twist to every meal.
Both healthy and scrumptious, the following recipes can be whipped up with a generous dash of California walnuts that’ll add flavour, texture, and goodness to your meals. So, are you ready for a truly special Thanksgiving dinner?
Vegetarian Walnut & Squash Wellington
Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
500g frozen diced butternut squash
1 leek, sliced (200g)
1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
300g mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons redcurrant jelly
100g California walnuts, chopped plus 1 tablespoon
50g breadcrumbs
500g pack puff pastry
1 medium egg, beaten
Preparations
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan and add the squash, leeks and thyme and fry for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and redcurrant jelly and fry for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the 100g walnuts and breadcrumbs, season well and allow to cool.
3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 30x35cm rectangle. Place the stuffing in a line in the middle along the length of the pastry leaving a 4cm border at the side edges. Fold the pastry at the sides over the filling then fold over the rest of the pastry to enclose the filling.
4. Transfer to a baking tray, seal side down. Brush the surface with egg. Sprinkle over the reserved 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts. Bake for 30 minutes until golden.
Cooks tip
Great served with Brussels sprouts and braised red cabbage.
Roasted Lamb with California Walnut Salsa
Ingredients
Lamb:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
1 kg leg of lamb, boneless
Walnut Salsa:
1/3 cup walnut oil
4 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
6 anchovy fillets, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon green peppercorns in brine, drained and minced
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 cup California walnut pieces, coarsely chopped
Preparations
Lamb:
1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. In a small bowl, add Dijon, garlic, olive oil and rosemary; stir to combine.
3. Place lamb into a roasting pan and rub the marinade over the entire surface of the lamb.
4. Roast lamb in the centre oven rack for 60 to 90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 52°C at the thickest point for medium rare. Roast longer for desired doneness.
5. Allow the lamb roast to rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
Walnut Salsa:
1. For the salsa, combine walnut oil, capers, anchovy fillets, parsley, mint, peppercorns, lemon juice and lemon zest, and walnut pieces in a medium sized bowl and spoon over lamb slices.
Walnut & Fruit Panforte
Ingredients
200g California walnuts, roughly chopped
100g dried figs, chopped
50g dried cranberries
150g mixed peel
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
200g runny honey
75g caster sugar
Icing sugar to dust
Preparations
- Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease and base line a 20cm loose bottomed tin.
2. Place the walnuts on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix together the dried fruit, flour and spices in a large bowl, add the walnuts.
4. Heat the honey and sugar in a small saucepan until it reaches 115°C with a sugar thermometer (or when ½ teaspoon dropped into cold water forms a soft ball when squeezed between fingers). Pour into the fruit and nut mixture to evenly coat, then spoon into the prepared tin and level out with the back of an oiled spoon.
5. Bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool in the tin. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
- by Ashima Raina New Delhi India