California Walnuts And BBC GoodFood Masterclass At Hilton, Bangalore

Last month I was invited for an exclusive masterclass by BBC GoodFood India Magazine in association with California Walnuts and FBAI at Hilton Embassy GolfLinks, Bangalore. Pastry Chef Roshan Mendonsa from Hilton Embassy Golf Links demonstrated 3 scrumptious Italian recipes using California Walnuts.

 

 

Expert nutritionist Geetu Ambani explained why we should make walnuts a part of our healthy lifestyle and how it has a positive effect on our health. What you eat is critical for optimizing performance, helping prevent injury, assisting in recovery and minimizing risk of illness, such as cold, flu or infection.

 

 

When we workout our body needs quality fuel throughout the day. Walnuts are a nutritious way to fuel the next workout or sports event by providing

– A convenient source of protein(4 grams per once) and fiber(2 grams per once)

– Essential polyunsaturated fats

– The plant-based omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid

– Numerous antioxidants – walnuts have been ranked 2nd only to blackberries in terms of antioxidant content.

 

 

Among the nuts, walnuts are unique as they contain significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid(ALA). Omega-3s are an essential fat and body gets it from the food that we eat. So grab a handful of walnuts as a snack, or include them in oatmeal,pastas, desserts, salads or entrees to enhance crunch, nutrition and flavour.

 

The recipes demonstrated at the masterclass were :

1) Ajo Blanco which is the South Eastern Soup of Spain. The original recipe actually contains almonds, but chef replaced the almonds by walnuts.

 

 

2) Seafood Tagliatelle With Basil Walnut Pesto.

 

This recipe was unique as it used different types of sea fish like Mussels, Scallop, Clams, Baby Octopus, Prawns, Salmon and Squids.

 

 

3) Apricot Cranberry & Walnut Torte – A dessert.

 

During the masterclass, the chef gave a lot of tips like when frying the salmon, after the salmon turns whitish we should flip it to the other side and sieve the flour 3 times while making cakes to make them fluffy. The masterclass was a very interactive one.

 

All the 3 recipes were good. But Ajo Blanco was very unique and I liked it a lot.

The masterclass was followed by a lavish lunch at The Ministry of Food at Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks. Following are some pictures of the lunch buffet.