What to do with...... walnut oil
Fiona Smith
If you’re lucky enough to have wandered through the endless marketplaces of France, you might have picked up a small bottle of that delicate topaz elixir, freshly pressed walnut oil. Or you may have found one of the fabulous walnut oils currently being pressed in New Zealand, from our own exceptional walnuts. NZ walnut oil differs from the French walnut oil available here, in that the walnuts are not roasted beforehand and are cold pressed. This means that the oil has been pressed at under 32ºC and can be labelled as such.
The French variety has a toasty walnut taste but loses the good nutrients available to the consumer through cold pressing. The nutrients, when roasted, break down and have little nutritious value. By using the cold pressed NZ walnut oil, the consumer benefits from the oil being both a health and gourmet food item.
Whichever you have, now is the time to use it; walnut oil has a limited shelf life, about 6-12 months. But once you see how versatile it really is, I doubt it will sit around for long. Even the most ordinary of dishes will be transformed by its touch.
Walnut, as with all nut oils, should be stored in a cool place, out of the light to prevent it from becoming rancid. In our climate, the refrigerator is best.
Walnut paste is the ground meat of the nut and tastes great on its own, with pasta or as ravioli filling, added to ice-cream, truffles or try it in your next stuffing.
Walnut oil is a delicious alternative to olive oil in classic vinaigrettes or for dipping fresh bread. Either try it on its own, or with a splash of sherry vinegar, Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar or verjuice.
Walnut oil goes well with some of the more bitter vegetables. Try:
- Quickly sautéing sliced witlof in a little olive oil. Serve immediately, drizzled with walnut oil and sherry vinegar.
- Tossing a salad of radicchio or curly endive with walnut oil vinaigrette. Top with crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts.
- Finish off a bowl of fresh sorrel soup with a drizzle of walnut oil.
Walnut oil is fantastic tossed through pasta. With a soft blue cheese such as Gorgonzola, steamed fresh green beans or spinach, sautéed mushrooms or simply parsley and garlic.
Use walnut oil to grease ramekins and moulds for desserts such as panna cotta. It will add a delicate, nutty dimension.
For Christmas breakfast or a Sunday brunch, try walnut and pear bruschetta. Grill a thick slice of panettone, brioche or fruit bread, drizzle with walnut oil, top with slices of ripe pear, a few toasted walnuts and lashings of maple syrup, honey or chocolate sauce. Serve with thick Greek yoghurt, whipped cream or mascarpone. (Substitute bananas if you can’t get pears.)
Brush halved fruit such as peach or nectarine with a combination of walnut oil and honey before roasting or grilling, and serve with yoghurt or ice-cream.
Goats’ cheese marinated in walnut oil is delicious with a salad and some crusty bread as a summer lunch. You can use the remaining oil for dressings or through pasta or potatoes.
Lay 1cm slices of goats’ cheese in a dish and sprinkle with some fresh thyme, crushed garlic and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with walnut oil, cover and leave in a cool place to marinate for 24 hours. This is also good with a few chopped dried porcini mushrooms.
In the winter, parsnips and Brussels sprouts taste great tossed with walnut oil before serving, or add some to mashed potato, carrot and parsnip.
Brush walnut oil on fish, poultry and especially duck before grilling or pan frying. Or drizzle some around the plate before you serve. 
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