Walnut Spread

This walnut spread is a recipe straight out of ancient Rome, the kind of thing that might have appeared at a patrician’s dinner party. Ground walnuts get blended with liquamen (Roman fish sauce), grape juice, olive oil, cumin, and black pepper into a thick, savory paste.

Liquamen is the ancestor of modern Asian fish sauces. It adds a briny, umami depth that makes the walnuts taste meatier and more complex than you’d expect from a handful of nuts. If you can’t find authentic liquamen, Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce works as a substitute.

Traditionally shaped like a fish on the serving plate and garnished with parsley and whole walnut halves. It’s meant to be scooped onto bread or crackers.

Kitchen Tips

• Grind the walnuts fine but not to butter. You want a textured paste, not a smooth nut butter. A few pulses in the blender or a minute with a mortar and pestle.
• Taste and adjust the liquamen. Fish sauce potency varies wildly between brands. Start with less and add more.
• The grape juice adds a subtle sweetness that balances the fish sauce saltiness. Use real grape juice, not grape drink.

Variations

• Use Asian fish sauce if you can’t source liquamen. Start with half the amount since modern fish sauce tends to be saltier.
• Add a tablespoon of honey for a sweeter, more dessert-leaning spread.
• Swap walnuts for pine nuts for a more traditionally Roman flavor profile.