Walnut Oil - how do they make it?

[Dave Hatfield]

What is he doing? He's 83 years old & is making walnut oil. The picture was taken today at the Christmas fair in Puylagarde near where we live.

For a complete description of the whole walnut oil making process go here where there are lots more pictures.

In brief to make walnut oil you gather, dry, & crack your walnuts. Then you grind them finely and 'cook' them. After cooking they're pressed & filtered and are ready for sale.

To whet your appetite here's a pic of the finished product.

Amazing process!

[Sararwelch]

That is really interesting. Anyone have any creative uses for walnut oil? I basically just use it to make vinaigrette.

[gariotin]

Lovely story with great pix, Dave. It is wonderful to see this truly artisinal method at work - bet this is a dying art.

I agree w/Sarawelch - we all have uses I am sure, but tell us how the oil is used there at the "source".

[Dave Hatfield]

That is really interesting. Anyone have any creative uses for walnut oil?

I agree w/Sarawelch - we all have uses I am sure, but tell us how the oil is used there at the "source".

Don't know about our local area being the 'source'; some other areas would hotly dispute any such claim made by the Rouergue. Having said that, walnuts are certainly used a lot here as the terroir & climate seem to be ideal for growing the trees. Even our sadly neglected tree seems to produce a good crop every year. Given the depopulation of this area & it's farms there are lots & lots of walnuts going begging every fall. A ramble around the countryside in October will yield bags full.

My avatar, Rupert, is a walnut fanatic. If not carefully watched he'll get fat every fall as he adores walnuts. He knows exactly how to find, crack & eat them. In the house we have to keep ours well out of reach.

How to use them? Well vinaigrette is a great way. Walnut oil is also traditionally poured over casoulette near the end of cooking; not much mind you. Probably the most delicious use I know of is in the local paste called aillade de Toulouse. This is traditionally served with magret & I can honestly say that its a taste combination made in heaven. Here's the recipe:

75g (2 1/2 oz) walnuts

50g (1 3/4 oz) garlic, peeled

Salt, pepper to taste

150 ml (1/4 pint ) walnut oil

1 tbl spoon chopped parsley

1) pound the garlic & walnuts together in a mortar. Or process finely in a food processor.

2) stir in a spoonful or two of water to help the mixture to come together.

3) Slowly beat in the walnut oil until you have a thick sauce; almost like mayonnaise.

4) stir in the parsley & adjust the seasonings.

NOTE: aillade freezes beautifully for later use.

Serve this with duck or pheasant & you'll be delighted.

ANOTHER NOTE: Once you open a bottle of walnut oil keep it in the fridge. Otherwise it can go rancid quite quickly. A shame as its not exactly cheap. With my local stuff I just always keep it in the fridge as I don't trust their sealing methods.

[cmling]

Walnut oil and sherry vinegar is a marriage made in heaven.

Charley

[Toasted]

Kalamata olives, walnut oil, garlic, parsley, a bit of fresh rosemary. Grind up in the food processor and serve with pita chips, chunks of bread, or raw vegetables. I like to use a dark bread for dipping myself.

[gariotin]

Yum - that sauce sounds so interesting! I can imagine the strong garlic with the grassy parsley cutting the richness of the nuts. Too bad I am making lamb for Xmas dinner, or I would try it.

Rouergue - isn't that "roquefort country", or am I off geographically? Why is it depopulated? Did not realized that the bunny had a name...welcome, Ruport, to our conversations!

Toasted - like your recipe too - something different for an appetizer. The kalamatas and rosemary don't overwhelm the walnut oil?

[Dave Hatfield]

Yum - that sauce sounds so interesting!  I can imagine the strong garlic with the grassy parsley cutting the richness of the nuts.  Too bad I am making lamb for Xmas dinner, or I would try it.

Rouergue - isn't that "roquefort country", or am I off geographically?  Why is it depopulated?  Did not realized that the bunny had a name...welcome, Ruport, to our conversations!

Toasted - like your recipe too - something different for an appetizer.  The kalamatas and rosemary don't overwhelm the walnut oil?

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You're right, Rouergue is indeed Roquefort country. We're just on the Western edge; the border between us & Quercy is Le Bonnette a stream about 5 km away. In addition to Roquefort the area is famous for other cheeses (tomme, Cabecou for example) and veal. It's the area Jeanne Strang is based in & wrote about in "Goose Fat & Garlic".

Depopulated because the farms just aren't economic any more if they use much labour. For example, Pech Bernu a hamlet near us had a population of about 160 people in 1950. There are now 14 full time residents plus an equal number of part timers. So, no work no people. Its a beautiful area, but virtually no industry and few jobs. Thus there are quite a number of retirees like us who have bought & renovated old farmhouses. (go here to have a look.)

Now, you're in big trouble with Rupert! He's a big, brown standard poodle (about 80 lb.); most definitely not a bunny. I'm not allowed to post any more Rupert pictures so you'll have to plough through my blog to find a more representative photo. He's the soul of kindness so will forgive your error.

[gariotin]

Well, I have certainly put my foot in my mouth with the comment about Rupert! I thought he was a bunny in a field with very big ears. My cats tell me I should have consulted with them first...of course he is a dog. He will never have to know about his faux- pas........

So if you are so close to Roquefot, what brand do you prefer? I am a Carles girl, myself, but I am appreciating a new one from Gabriel Coulet called "Le Petit Cave" - I think it is a "special" aging for the US, which means it is the same old stuff. I hear the village itself is quite small? I would love to go someday - your link was VERY interesting!

That is a sad, but unfortunately worldwide, story of vanishing farms. Here in New England, they are folding like cardtables. While some of us want to get closer the the food source, it is truly harder and harder to do.

Am planning a nice cheese course for Xmas dinner, which will be butterflied leg of lamb w/herbs, garlic & lemon in the center, potato gratin provencale w/olives, tomatos, chevre, and quick sauteed broccoli rabe w/fruity olive oil and garlic. Sophie (daughter who works at Whole Foods cheese dept) will bring a soft-ripened, goat, and blue of her choice. I will augment w/the Lincolnshire Poacher I got from Zingermans and some leftover samples from the Fine Cheese Co in Bath, England. Anyone on this thread know them? One of the most beautiful cheesemongers I have ever visited - they buy small, artisinal production much like Neal's Yard. One is called "Lord of the Hundreds" - it is a cheddar - another is Sharpham Rustic, a beautiful cow's milk, formed in a basket. Comes plain (cow's milke) or with herb and garlic. This came about by accident - cows were grazing and eating wild garlic. Milk was full of it and cheesemaker was dumping. Had an Eureka moment - aha, why not make garlic-flavored cheese? The rest is history.... Last one is Cornish Blue - a VERY nice, award-winning blue...obviously from Cornwall. So is Christmas dinner...

It is the holiday season, so I hope you and Rupert will forgive me. Look forward to more cheese discussions in '07. Oops, wrong thread! Thought I was supposed to rhapsodize about cheese!