Walnut Pesto And Goat Cheese Dip

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 14 ounces walnuts (2 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus
• more extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 10 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
• 4 small shallots, minced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped watercress leaf
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 hass avocadoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 small radish
• assorted fresh vegetable, cut into sticks (such as celery, fennel and carrots, for serving)

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350°.
• 2 spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 7 minutes, or until golden.
• 3 transfer to a plate and let cool.
• 4 in a food processor, working in 2 batches, pulse the walnuts until coarsely chopped.
• 5 add the second batch of nuts back to the food processor and pulse in the 1/2 cup of olive oil.
• 6 do not overprocess: the pesto should be slightly chunky.
• 7 season with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
• 8 transfer the pesto to a medium bowl.
• 9 mix in the goat cheese, shallots, watercress and lemon juice.
• 10 season with salt and pepper.
• 11 fold in the avocados.
• 12 drizzle the dip with olive oil and serve with radishes and assorted crisp vegetables.