Nut loaf

Best ever nut loaf. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
Best ever nut loaf. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
Serves: 0
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 1 hr 0 mins

Ingredients

  • 150g almonds, with the skin on
  • 100g hazelnuts (preferably with no skin, but it’s fine if not)
  • 50g shelled pistachios
  • 3 medium leeks, washed and very finely chopped
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 100g strong, hard cheese (I used goat’s)
  • Very large bunch parsley
  • 2 eggs

You’ll need a 30cm x 10cm loaf tin for this. Preheat your oven to 150 degrees/gas 2. Toast the nuts in the oven on a tray for 10 minutes – taking care not to burn them. Turn the oven up to 170 degrees/gas 3.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pan and sweat the carrots, leeks, onion, thyme and garlic together until soft but not coloured, about 15 minutes.

Next, blitz the nuts and parsley in a food processor and when they have formed a sandy crumb, add the eggs and cheese. Mix this with the sweated vegetables and pour into a lined loaf tin.

Bake at 170 degrees/gas 3 for 30-40 minutes until firm. Serve thick slices warm, or let it cool down fully and serve cold.

Domini Kemp

Domini Kemp

Domini Kemp, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a chef and food writer