Refreshing Spring Sauces
Add these sauces to any simple dish, from pot beans and rice to potato soup. Their bright flavor will awaken the senses and help ease the transition from winter to spring.
Look for local Vermont walnuts, which taste less bitter than the traditional English variety.
Ingredients
- 1 large leek, washed well and chopped into rounds
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- White wine or lemon juice
- 1/2 cup walnut halves and pieces
Instructions
Gently heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet and add leek. Reduce heat to medium low. Add salt, black pepper; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. If you have leftover white wine, add a couple splashes. If not, just add a splash of lemon juice. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat.
As the leeks are cooking, place the walnuts in another skillet. Toast on medium heat, tossing often with a spatula, for about 3 minutes or until walnuts are lightly browned.
Once leeks and walnuts are cooked, place them in a food processor and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Blend at highest speed for 2 minutes. Taste for salt.
Try it with biscuits, on sourdough bread, and as a dip for carrot and celery sticks. This pâté makes a lovely appetizer when served with nut and seed crackers. Keeps refrigerated for 5 days.
Healing properties:
Leeks—strengthen lungs; anti-microbial; anti-bacterial; offer rich source of fructo-oligosaccharides, which stimulate growth of healthy bifidobacteria and suppress the growth of harmful bacteria in the colon.
Walnuts—rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids; gently laxative; contain ellagic acid, which supports the immune system.
Related Stories & Recipes
