Gearing up to host a romantic dinner for your loved one but don’t know what to prepare? Fret not, as California walnuts are here to drive your worries away! Loaded with the goodness of health and irresistible flavours, walnuts are the go-to-nut for anything sweet or savoury. An excellent source of plant-based omega-3, antioxidants and fibre, they make every dish an instant favourite.
So what are you waiting for? Put on your apron and let California walnuts add the magic of love and nutrition to your Valentine’s meal. Try out these super easy and delectable recipes curated by Celebrity Chef Sabyasachi Gorai that will definitely add that extra crunch of romance to your evening.
Vegetable & California Walnut Ragu
Ingredients
1) 1 tablespoon oil 2) 400g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced 3) 1 onion, chopped 4) 1 red pepper, diced
5) 100ml red wine 6) 50g sun dried tomato paste 7) 250g cherry tomatoes, halved 8) 400g can chopped tomatoes 9) 100g California Walnut Halves 10) 250ml vegetable stock 11) 1 courgette, diced (170g) 12) 25g basil, shredded
To serve: Cooked spaghetti and grated cheese
Preparations:
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the sweet potatoes, onion and pepper for 5 minutes.
2. Add the wine and reduce by half. Stir in the remaining ingredients except courgette and basil and bring to the boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the lid and add the courgette, simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced, season to taste and stir in the basil. Serve with cooked spaghetti and grated cheese.
Dairy-Free California Walnut Rice Pudding
Ingredients
1) Rice Pudding 2) 1 cup short grain or medium grain rice 3) 1 3/4 cups water 4) 1/2 teaspoon salt 5) 3/4 cup sugar 6) 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 7) 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 8) Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 9) 1/4 cup chopped California walnuts, toasted 10) Fresh fruit for garnish 11) California Walnut Milk 12) 2 cups California walnuts, toasted 13) 2 cups water 14) 1 tablespoon honey 15) 1 teaspoon vanilla
California Walnut Cream
1) 2 cups California walnuts 2) 1 cup water 3) 2 tablespoons sugar
Preparation:
1. To prepare pudding, cook rice according to package directions with water and salt. 2. While rice is cooking, prepare California Walnut Milk by placing all ingredients in a blender until smooth. 3. To prepare Walnut Cream, place all ingredients in a small blender or food processor and puree until thick and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. 4. Stir Walnut Milk into cooked rice and add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until pudding is thickened and creamy. Stir in lemon zest and 1/4th of the Walnut Cream. 5. Serve warm or chilled with dollops of remaining Walnut Cream.
Pizza with Plant-Based California Walnut Crumble
Ingredients
1) Walnut Sausage Crumble 2) 1 cup California walnuts 3) 1/2 cup cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 4) 1 tablespoon coconut aminos 5) 1 tablespoon olive oil 6) 2 teaspoons fennel seed 7) 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 8) 1 teaspoon onion powder 9) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 10) 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 11) 1/4 teaspoon celery salt 12) Walnut Sausage Pizza
13) 450g pizza dough 14) 6 tablespoons red sauce 15) 6 tablespoons pesto 16) 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, divided 17) California Walnut Sausage (recipe above), divided 18) 1/4 cup sliced small tomatoes 19) Fresh basil leaves 20) Shaved Parmesan cheese
Preparations
1. Remove California Walnuts from water. In a food processor combine all ingredients and pulse to a sausage like consistency. 2. Preheat oven to 260°C and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into 4 pieces and roll each out into a thin oval and place on baking sheet. 3. Spread 2 dough pieces with red sauce and top with equal amounts of red sauce, half the cheese and half the sausage crumble. 4. Spread the other dough with pesto, remaining cheese, remaining sausage crumble and tomatoes. 5. Bake for 8 minutes or until pizzas are golden brown on the edges. Garnish with basil leaves and shaved Parmesan.