When the skies turn grey and the rain begins to fall, cravings inevitably turn towards something warm, comforting and delicious. This monsoon, give those rainy-day favorites a wholesome twist with California walnuts. Their satisfying crunch, rich flavour and versatility make them an easy addition to everything from crispy snacks and hearty bites to comforting treats. So, put the kettle on, gather around the table, and make the most of the season with these delicious walnut-inspired recipes made for rainy-day indulgence.

Walnut-Crusted Mozzarella Bites with Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Aioli

Walnut-Crusted Mozzarella Bites with Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Aioli

Ingredients

California Walnut-Crusted Mozzarella Bites
2 cups California walnuts
14-15 mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 ½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
4 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying, about 4 cups
Sun-Dried Tomato and California Walnut Aioli
½ cup finely ground California walnuts
½ cup water
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

Preparations

For the Ground California Walnuts
1. Place walnuts into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and texture is similar to breadcrumbs.
2. Measure 1 cup of ground walnuts for use in mozzarella bites and reserve remaining ½ cup for use in aioli.
For the Mozzarella Bites
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Dry mozzarella balls with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
3. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup ground walnuts, panko breadcrumbs, salt, and spices.
4. In a shallow or medium-sized bowl, beat eggs together until combined. Add flour to a separate shallow or medium-sized bowl.
5. One at a time, dredge each mozzarella ball in the flour, followed by dipping in the egg, coating completely. Shake off excess egg, then roll in the walnut and panko mixture until fully coated.
6. Transfer the mozzarella bites onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for about 30 minutes prior to frying.
7. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet to 180 – 190°C.
8. Remove mozzarella bites from the freezer. While still cold, fry bites in small batches until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove fried mozzarella bites from the oil and place onto a paper towel-lined tray.
9. Serve immediately. Mozzarella bites can be kept warm in a 120°C oven until ready to serve.

California Walnut Loaded Roast Potatoes

California Walnut Loaded Roast Potatoes

Ingredients

1.2 kg potatoes, cut into chunks
8 tablespoons oil
100g California walnuts, chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 sprigs rosemary, leaves chopped
50g Parmigiana Reggiano, finely grated
½ x 25g pack parsley, chopped

Preparations

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes until they begin to soften round the edges. Drain and return to the pan. Toss in 3 tablespoons oil.

3. Place half the walnuts in a food processor and blitz to give a fine crumb texture, mix in the garlic, rosemary, Parmesan and half the remaining walnuts, season well.

4. Toss into the potatoes and transfer to a large roasting tin, spreading them out evenly.

5. Drizzle over the remaining oil and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes and add the remaining walnuts and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until golden.

6. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Dahi Walnut Kebab

Dahi Walnut Kebab – Chef Abinas Nayak

Ingredients
1 cup hung curd
1 teaspoon of brown onion paste
1 teaspoon of roasted California walnut paste (Blend handful of roasted walnuts with little bit of water and a teaspoon of walnut)
3 teaspoons of grated paneer
2 teaspoons of grated cheese
1/2 teaspoon of chopped coriander,
1/2 teaspoon of mint leaves
1-2 chopped green chillies
1/2 teaspoon of roasted cumin and fennel
1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger.
Salt as per taste

Preparations
1. Mix everything to make a thick paste. Keep it in fridge for half an hour.
2. To make walnut crust or crumb, roughly blend roasted walnuts and spread in a flat tray.
3. To finish take a dollop of Dahi Kebab mixture and coat it with prepared walnut crust. In hot seasoned tawa, shallow fry the Dahi Kebabs with ghee.

4. Enjoy hot with chutney of your choice.