Laura Avery finds Barbara Whyman of Tutti Frutti Farms knee deep in customers at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. She is selling yellow, orange, and purple carrots. She also has leeks, Yukon gold potatoes, and a few varieties of winter squash that she says raw foodists are buying like crazy.
Laura talks with market newcomer Duke Richardson about his Rancho Laviña Walnut Oil. He also sells toasted walnuts and raw walnuts, both of which put supermarket nuts to shame.
Duke has kindly shared the following recipes with us:
Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
Serves 4-6
2 lbs. baby new potatoes (gold/red)
2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 cup walnut oil
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut potatoes into thick wedges. Toss in a bowl with remaining ingredients to thoroughly coat. Spread out evenly on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden.
Goat Cheese Marinated in Walnut Oil
1/2 lb. goat cheese, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup walnut oil
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime peel
3 Tbsp. fresh herb medley, such as rosemary, sea salt and fresh ground pepper tarragon, parsley, chives, etc.
Place cheese slices in a single layer in a shallow glass dish. Blend together remaining ingredients and pour over cheese. Allow the mixture to marinate at least 4 hours and up to one day. Serve with toasted French bread slices and top with chopped fresh tomatoes
Avocado, Chevre, & Walnut Salad
1 serving
1 ripe avocado 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
2 Tbsp. Chevre Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. walnut oil
Peel and slice avocado and arrange on a serving plate. Crumble chevre over avocado slices. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and drizzle with walnut oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Wild Rice Pilaf
1-1/2 cups uncooked wild rice chopped green onion
3 Tbsp. walnut oil
1/2 cup toasted walnuts – chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice & zest optional: chopped parsley, tarragon, or other fresh herbs
Salt, to taste
Cook wild rice according to package directions. Mix salt, walnut oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pour over cooked rice and mix in with green onion, toasted walnuts, and herbs.
Walnut, Watercress, and Roquefort Salad
Carmelized Walnuts:
1/4 cup walnuts
/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. walnut oil
In baking pan toast nuts in oven until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. In a small nonstick skillet stir together walnuts, sugar, salt, and walnut oil, then cook over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar carmelizes and coats nuts. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool. Break walnuts apart once cooled.
Dressing:
1 small clove garlic
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. walnut oil 1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. fresh tarragon, finely chopped, or pinch salt and pepper dried tarragon
Mince garlic, then mash to a paste with salt in a bowl. Whisk in mustard and lemon juice. Add oil to mustard mixture in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Whisk in tarragon, then add salt and pepper to taste.
Salad:
1 head Belgian endive
2 bunches watercress (about 6 cups packed)
2 ounces Roquefort, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
Trim endive and cut into julienne strips. Discard coarse stems from watercress and toss with endive and dressing. Top salad with Roquefort and caramelized walnuts.
Potato Salad with Walnuts
2 Tbsp. walnut pieces
2 lbs. new potatoes, such as Jersey Royals or Charlotte
1 Tbsp. tarragon or cider vinegar washed or scrubbed
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
4 Tbsp. walnut oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp honey
2 Tbsp chopped cornichons or gherkins (optional)
flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toast walnuts on a baking sheeting at about 400°F for a few minutes, until beginning to color slightly.
Place vinegar, mustard, oil, honey, and salt and pepper in a screw-top jar or in the bowl of a small hand blender. Shake or blend well until creamy. Add more salt or pepper to taste.
Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for about 15-20 minutes until just tender. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, cut into halves or quarters. Place potatoes in a mixing bowl with the tarragon, shallots, cornichons or gherkins, and walnuts and toss with dressing to taste. Serve just warm or refrigerate and return to room temperature before eating.
Music Break: Gin & Tonic - The Cavendish Orchestra