French inspiration for pesto – Lawrence Murphy
Walnut pesto Many years ago I worked in the kitchens of a chateau in the Périgord region of France, quite close the Lascaux caves.
The area famous for cave paintings is also well known for its important culinary treats such as duck, goose, walnuts and truffles.
The Dordogne is known as a foodie destination and was therefore a great place for me to start to learn the art of cooking.
One of the many dishes served – in the hotel used walnuts which the head chef would make me roast and then scrape off the skins.
At first I could not understand why I had to do this laborious job until I tasted the difference.
An unpeeled walnut can be bitter and not that appetising compared to a toasted and skinned one that is sweet and creamy.
The taste almost resembles a cashew nut and it’s something that has stuck in my head. Be patient with this recipe because you’ll get a fantastic result that is great with pasta or grilled oily fish.
Ingredients
150g walnuts
Clove garlic chopped
30ml olive oil
Small bunch parsley chopped
50g parmesan (optional)
Method
1. Roast the walnuts in a pre-heated oven 200C gas 6 for 10 to 12 mins until turning light brown.
2. Allow to cool and with a small sharp knife scrape away the skins.
3. Put the walnuts into a liquidiser along with the other ingredients and blitz until smooth.
4. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.