Whip up your walnuts

I absolutely love this quick, creamy recipe. It even appears in this year's update to the Hill Family cookbook (which puts it in very good culinary company!). Here I use the pâté as the base for a sandwich, pilling on sliced cornichon pickles, sweet and sour market beets and farmers' market lettuce.

By using walnuts (feel free to substitute your favorite nut) this pâté is a tasty and a very versatile, whole food. I use it as a dip for veggies, a topping for baked potatoes and a spread for wraps. You can mix in whatever fresh veggies you have on hand.

Right now with the market overflowing with produce I have everything from jalepeno peppers to peas to broccoli to choose from. But I kept it traditional with green onion tops and carrots. Storage carrots remain a favorite of mine in the winter, when I also like sundried tomatoes.

Walnut Pâté

2 cups organic walnuts
1/2 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pickle juice (or vinegar)
1 Tbsp. organic soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Maine maple syrup
2 organic garlic cloves
1 small, organic onion, chopped & sauted
1 bunch, organic onion tops, chopped
4 small, organic carrots, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil, pickle juice, soy sauce and maple syrup to a food processor bowl. Then add walnuts, garlic and sauted onions, and blend. Once well blended add onion tops, carrots, salt and pepper. Mix until carrots and onion tops are evenly distributed. Serves 4-6.