MAIN COURSES

Thought walnuts were mainly for baking? Try bringing walnut goodness right to the main event. Our recipes have been kindly provided by some of New Zealand's most celebrated chefs.

 Image result for lizzie de lambert

Lizzie De Lambert's Chicken Thighs with Olives and Walnuts Wrapped with Prosciutto

Serves: 6

Ingredients

12 boneless, skinned chicken thighs

12 slices of prosciutto
100g Salvagno soft black pitted olives, chopped
1 Tblsp fresh chopped marjoram
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup fresh walnuts, chopped
2 Tblsp walnut oil
2 Tblsp white wine

Method

Remove as much fat as possible and any gristle from the chicken thighs.

In a bowl mix the olives, marjoram, garlic, and walnuts with some black pepper and ½ a teaspoon of salt. Spread the mixture on the inside of the chicken thighs, folder in half, then wrap each thigh with Prosciutto.

Place stuffed wrapped thighs into a roasting dish season with salt and ground black pepper.

Splash with the white wine and drizzle walnut oil over.

Bake at 180C for about 35 minutes or until the thighs are tender and cooked through, fan bake 5 minutes to finish.

Serve with steamed rice and crisp green salad dressed with a walnut oil and lemon dressing.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Image result for geoff scott chef

Geoff Scott's Goats cheese, tomato & walnut tart

Serves 6

A delicious open tart of crisp buttery puff pastry topped with warmed goats cheese, oven roasted tomatoes & topped with a baby leaf salad tossed in walnut vinaigrette then finished with slightly salty caramelised walnuts.

Puff pastry base

200gr puff pastry, rolled out to 2mm thin & refrigerated.
Cut 6 square pieces of puff pastry 10x10cm.
Place on a non stick baking sheet & cover with a non stick baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes at 200C till crisp & golden.

Oven dried tomatoes

9 vine ripened tomatoes cut in half, drizzled with olive oil, sea salt, thyme & rosemary, then baked at 150C for one hour.

Sliced goats cheese

150gr goats cheese, thinly sliced to cover the base of each puff pastry base

Baby leaf salad

3 cups of baby salad leaves or micro greens, mixed with torn basil leaves.

Walnut vinaigrette

1 tablespoon chardonnay vinegar
1/3 cup walnut oil
2/3 cup light olive oil
Sea salt

Whisk all ingredients together and season to taste.

Caramelised walnuts

50gr sugar
50 ml water
1/8th teaspoon salt
120g walnut halves, lightly roasted

Boil water, sugar & salt and cook to a light caramel. Pour caramel over walnuts, allow to cool, then roughly chop.

To serve

Warm tomatoes and pastry bases (with the cheese on), in the oven for 4 minutes at 160ºC. Arrange tomatoes on top of cheese pastry base, then salad leaves tossed with a little vinaigrette on top and drizzle some around the tart. Sprinkle chopped caramelised walnuts over the tart to finish.