Walnut Spread Recipes

WALNUT-PEPPER SPREAD

Steps:

• Pulse the toasted walnuts, olive oil, walnut oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and red pepper flakes in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl; mix in the roasted red pepper and parsley.

RED BEAN AND WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine beans, water, onion and bay leaf in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer until tender, about an hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the walnuts out on a baking tray and toast for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once, and checking frequently until toasted.
• Drain beans well and discard bay leaf. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, puree the beans with walnuts, butter, chopped garlic, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
• Mix chopped herbs together and put aside a small amount for garnish. Blend the rest into the beans and add a splash of water if the mixture is too thick.
• Season with salt and pepper and serve on warmed bread slices or crackers. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and sprinkle with herb mix.
• Serve next to some string cheese. For older children and adults, top with walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

VEGETARIAN SUN-DRIED TOMATO, FETA, AND WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, walnuts, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until blended. Pour in milk with the processor running, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a spreadable consistency is reached. Serve immediately or chill until needed.

MUHAMMARA (ROASTED PEPPER & WALNUT SPREAD)

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook and stir frequently until walnuts smell toasted and are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer walnuts to a plate to cool. Reserve 2 or 3 to coarsely chop and use for garnish.
• Place the skillet over medium heat; add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle in the breadcrumbs; cook and stir frequently until crumbs turn golden brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle onto plate with walnuts.
• Place peppers in bowl of a food processor. Add walnuts, toasted bread crumbs, garlic, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, salt, paprika, Aleppo pepper flakes, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Pulse on and off, scraping mixture down occasionally, until mixture is fairly fine and smooth. Transfer to a bowl; cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
• Transfer to a shallow serving bowl. Use the back of a spoon to swirl indentations on the surface to capture the garnishes. Garnish with reserved chopped walnuts, a drizzle of olive oil, pepper flakes, and chopped parsley.

WALNUT-GARLIC SPREAD

Steps:

• Place peppers over a gas flame or on a tray under the broiler. Keep turning so the skin is evenly charred, without burning and drying out the flesh. Transfer charred peppers to a plastic bag, tie the top closed and let steam until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. Peel off the charred skin by hand. Cut away stems, seeds and veins, and roughly chop.
• Place chopped peppers in a blender or food processor, add a few drops of water, and process to a paste. Transfer to a bowl and reserve.
• In the same blender, drop in the walnuts and garlic with the motor running and process for 30 seconds. Add the bread crumbs and process another 30 seconds. Return the peppers to the blender, along with the olive oil, pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt, and process until smooth. Adjust seasonings, and transfer to a bowl.
• To serve, drizzle a little pomegranate syrup over the top.

MUHAMMARA (RED PEPPER AND WALNUT SPREAD)

Steps:

• Combine pepper, scallions, lemon juice, cumin, salt, 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 4 tablespoons olive oil and all but 2 of the walnuts in a food processor and purée until mostly smooth.
• Add 4 tablespoons bread crumbs and pulse to combine. If mixture is still too loose to hold its shape, add remaining bread crumbs and pulse again. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes.
• Scrape spread into a bowl and make a well in the center with the back of a spoon. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes in the well. Crush the reserved walnuts between your fingers and sprinkle over the top.

WALNUT CHICKEN SPREAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the chicken, walnuts, mayonnaise, celery, onion, salt and garlic powder. Serve with crackers. Refrigerate any leftovers.

GORGONZOLA AND TOASTED WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Reserve 1 tablespoon of the Gorgonzola cheese for garnish. In food processor, place cream cheese, remaining Gorgonzola cheese, half-and-half and pepper. Cover and process just until blended.
• Reserve 1 tablespoon of the walnuts for garnish. Stir remaining walnuts into cheese mixture. Spoon into shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with reserved Gorgonzola cheese, walnuts and the parsley. Serve with bread slices and apple slices.

WINTER SQUASH AND WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and oil the foil. Place the squash on the baking sheet and rub or toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place in the oven and bake until tender, 40 to 60 minutes depending on the type of squash and the size of the pieces. Every 15 minutes use tongs to turn the pieces over so different surfaces become browned on the foil. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then peel and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse several times, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then purée until smooth.
• Heat another tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Add a generous pinch of salt, turn the heat to medium low and cook, stirring often, until very tender, sweet and lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add to the squash. Add the mint, nutmeg, walnuts, Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil and pulse together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on croutons.

WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• Put 2-4 walnut halves apart to use as garnish.
• Mix walnuts, ricotta cheese honey and salt together, either in a food processor or by hand held blender.
• Taste and adjust salt to your liking.
• Put the spread in a bowl and garnish with walnut halves and sprinkle with half a tablespoon honey.