Sometimes a new type of dish pops out at you and you just have to try it. That is the way I felt about crema after reading an article about it in The Oregonian. Sauteed onions, walnuts, a new type of pesto, it all sounded so tasty and fun. Which is exactly what crema turned out to be.
Ingredients for Crema:
-1 1/2 cups walnuts
-1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-verigin olive oil
-2 yellow onions
-salt (to taste)
-chili pepper flakes (optional, but adds a great extra layer of flavor, to taste)
Instructions:
Bring pot of salt water to boil, Add walnuts and blanch for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender in middle. Drain walnuts, reserving 1/4 cooking liquid. Set aside separately. In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt to saute until golden and tender. Remove from heat. In food processor, combine onion, walnuts and reserved liquid; process until creamy; gradually adding olive oil as needed and seasoning to taste. Crema should have the consistency of hummus (I enjoyed mine a little nuttier).
My first try with Crema was as a pasta sauce. I mixed together roasted asparagus, roasted cherry tomatoes along with the pasta and crema sauce. It is up to you how much sauce you want to add to the pasta, depending on how creamy you like your pasta to be.
The fun with crema doesn’t stop there! I also trued this Pear and Walnut Crema Tart from Darjeeling Dreams. I highly recommend this recipe for a Fall meal. Crema is turning out to be quite the versatile sauce.
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