Black Walnut Beet Pesto Pasta And Commitment Ritual

“If you love me, if you love love love me, plant a rose for me. If you think you’re gonna love me for a long, long time, plant an apple tree” are the lyrics to an old folk song I learned from my mother with my small hands in the soil, pressing down seeds. Indeed, planting is a sign of commitment, whether to place, person, or self. 

You wait to plant a garden until you know you’re going to be there for the harvest. You wait to plant a tree until you know you’ll be able to watch it grow, or that at least future generations will be able to enjoy its shade. Relationships are a little like that too, the more secure you feel in them, the more you allow your roots to intertwine and grow. This is certainly the season of romance, from Valentine’s Day to Maypole dances. And while there are some people who view these celebrations with some degree of cynicism, I think that any day that reminds us to share our love is a good day. I also think that any kind of love is valid to celebrate, whether it be for your family, your friends, your pets, or your romantic partner. 

Celebrations based in love and fertility actually stretch back thousands of years. With the very first glimmers of spring in the air, people’s thoughts naturally moved to the fertile season ahead. Valentine’s Day may have its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was also held in mid-February. As one might expect from a spring festival, there were many fertility rites and celebrations associated with it. (Along with animal sacrifices, intense rituals, random match-making and coupling, feasting, and other such exciting activities.) 

As with many ancient traditions, it was eventually tamed by the church; in the 5th century, Lupercalia was replaced with St. Valentine’s Day and seen as a celebration of romance. By the 1500s, formal messages of love known as “Valentines” appeared, the beginnings of some of our modern-day celebrations. 

All celebrations change with the times and cultures that embrace them. The beautiful thing about this is that we get to decide what this holiday means to us, both personally and as part of an ever-changing culture. If the lobster-and-steak-dinner is your way of celebrating, that’s fine. And if you’re more of a go to the bar and get drunk kind of person, you do you. But I would like to present an alternative to those looking for one: a wholesome meal and simple ritual to celebrate moving forwards with someone, romantic or not. 

This meal features a festively-colored beet pesto pasta, flavored with the earthy rich funkiness of black walnuts. If you crack a black walnut shell perfectly in half, you’ll find a lovely little heart inside! Black walnut shells are much harder than the more well-known English walnuts, but the nutmeat found inside is so much more flavorful. It’s difficult to describe the taste of black walnuts - strong, rich, earthy, funky in a good way, with a strong feeling of masculinity (at least to me.) They’re the perfect counterpoint to sweet beetroots and sharp umami-filled pecorino romano. 

Black walnuts are native to eastern North America, but many have made their way west and can be found planted along city streets and on farmsteads at lower elevations. (Perhaps one reason for this is that their wood is a beautiful dark brown color and very popular for furniture, wood carvers, etc.) I actually gathered a basket full of black walnuts on a walk last fall, only to have every single one stolen in the 15 minutes I left them unsupervised in my yard by the industrious squirrels that live in my tree. (I was too impressed to be mad!) Luckily, my community is wonderful and generous and someone else was willing to share some of their walnuts with me so that I could make this delicious meal. 

I’m always drawn to nuts this time of year. Filled with nutrition and healthy fats, nuts are a welcome source of food in the harsh days of winter. If it weren’t for our modern conveniences, now would be the time of the year our food supplies would be dwindling before spring’s young shoots began to grow… 

There’s a special magic to seeds and nuts, knowing that they are perfect little support packages to the embryonic life contained within. It’s amazing to think that in each little shell is enough energy to start a new life. The wisdom and nurturing they offer fits in well to our own energy this time of year; a time to plant new hopes and celebrate the bounties we already have. Perhaps that’s why they are so perfectly used in both meal and ritual this time of year. 

The ritual (below) is appropriate to do with anyone you are planning a future with. This can, of course, be a romantic partner, but think outside the box to include roommates, business partners, close friends, or family members! In it, you’ll be planting Scarlet Runner Beans (outside if you live in a temperate climate; inside if you still get frosts where you live.) These beautiful big beans yield proliferous vines of bright red flowers that pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds love. They also produce pods of beans that can be dried and eaten throughout the winter months, a reminder of the way your love or partnership has grown!

Beet Pesto Pasta:

As beautiful as it is easy, this pasta combines the sweet earthiness of beets with the funky nuttiness of black walnuts. Pecorino romano rounds out the flavors to create a balanced bowl of comfort food. This recipe serves 4. 

Ingredients: 

3 medium beets, washed

1 box of bow tie pasta 

3 garlic cloves, minced

juice and zest of 2 lemons

1/3 c. walnuts

1/3 c. black walnuts, plus a few extras to garnish with. 

1/3 c. olive oil

1/2 c. yogurt 

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Peel and cube the beets. Place them in a microwave safe dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 4-7 minutes (depending on the power of your microwave), then let sit for another 4 minutes or so before removing the plastic wrap. Beets should be tender and easily pierced with a fork. (Cooking the beets this way helps to retain their beautiful and vibrant color!) 

2. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to boil with a dash of salt. Once boiling, add your pasta and cook to your liking. (I prefer al dente) 

3. Heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat and roast the walnuts and black walnuts until fragrant. Remove from pan to cool (so they don’t overcook.) 

4. Add the cooked beets, garlic, lemon juice and zest, walnuts, and olive oil to a food processor and blend until smooth. 

5. Add the yogurt and pecorino romano and pulse to blend. 

6. When the pasta is done cooking, drain well and then mix the beet pesto with the drained noodles. Serve immediately, topped with reserved black walnut pieces, sprouts, or other treats!

Planting Commitment Ritual: 

Get creative with who you do this ritual with. It could, of course, be done with a romantic partner, but it can be easily adapted to celebrations of any kind of community making a commitment to each other. Perhaps the opening of a community garden? As part of a non-traditional wedding ceremony? The beginnings of a book club? What part of your life deserves an act of commitment? 

You’ll need: 

Scarlet runner beans for planting

Pots of soil for each participant (or a place outside if it’s warm enough)

small pieces of paper

pencils

special water - perhaps collected from a favorite creek, or melted from winter’s snows, or infused with your favorite herbs and left to cool. 

Directions: 

1. First, gather your partner or participants together and explain that this ritual is one of commitment; that you hope that as your seeds grow throughout the coming seasons, you will too. Tell them your hope is to reap the benefits of your harvest together. 

2. Give each person a small slip of paper and have them write down what they want to focus on growing this year in regards to your relationship. This can be things like “intimacy,” “communication,” “selfless love,” “adventures together,” and so on. You may share what you write or keep it private; the choice is up to you. 

3. Once everyone has written their intention on a piece of paper, pass out pots filled with soil. Have each person dig a little hole about 2” down from the surface and bury their paper. 

4. Give each person a scarlet runner bean seed. Explain that this is a metaphorical representation of their wish, and that it requires the same care and attention that your relationship does. Plant the beans about 1” down from the surface.

5. Finally, water your pots with water you deem special or sacred. Thank the earth for accepting your hopes and thank the seeds for representing them. Then, thank your fellow participants for doing this ritual with you. Everyone may now leave with their newly-planted pot of hope.

6. Care for your plants over the coming months. Be sure to transplant them into a larger pot or plant outside once the danger of frost has passed. Give them lots of sun and the right amount of water and you’ll be rewarded with bright red blossoms, and then finally pods filled with seeds that can be gathered and dried. Be sure to save some for next year’s Valentine’s Day Ritual! The beans themselves may make a special addition to a celebratory feast - between those who originally planted them together. Try them as part of an anniversary supper, holiday celebration, or meaningful meeting. 

Notes on Substitutions: To make this pasta gluten-free, just use a gluten-free pasta instead of the bow-tie pasta listed. Regular walnuts or pine nuts can be substituted for the black walnuts, though the flavor won’t be as deep and earthy. Any large pea or bean can be used in the ritual. 

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