River Cottage

A nutty, garlic dip, perfect for serving with crudites at a summer dinner party

Hugh: "That’s really not a misprint for tartare. Tarator is a rich and very garlicky walnut sauce that works brilliantly as a dip for fresh, crunchy crudités. It’s lovely summer party food, and a brilliant way to show off the raw harvest from your garden or allotment."

Serves 6

• 4 slices of good white bread (about 200g), crusts removed
• 200g walnuts, lightly toasted
• 2 fat garlic clove, crushed
• 250ml olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Paprika, to finish

1. Soak the bread in water to cover for a minute or two, then squeeze out most of the water.

2. Blitz the nuts and garlic in a food processor until quite finely ground. Add the bread and pulse until fairly smooth. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream, through the feeder tube. Finally, add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Dollop into a small bowl and dust with a little paprika.