Pickled Walnuts

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Obsessive cook
Staff member
Joined
19 Apr 2015
Local time
4:45 AM
Messages
48,222
Location
Maidstone, Kent, UK
I've got a jar of pickled walnuts languishing in my cupboard. Its a curious ingredient which is (I believe) peculiar to the UK . I've used them in a beef stew and also sprinkled on the top of cauliflower cheese. Anyone got ideas about what else to do with them.
 
morning glory said:
I've got a jar of pickled walnuts languishing in my cupboard. Its a curious ingredient which is (I believe) peculiar to the UK . I've used them in a beef stew and also sprinkled on the top of cauliflower cheese. Anyone got ideas about what else to do with them.
Click to expand...
When I first saw the title I thought I'd missed a few months and it was time for Father Christmas
Beef dishes as you say ,I've used them in a mint pesto for lamb ,in cheese straw and palmier style nibbles,serve them with cheese selections and have pureed them with grilled goats cheese
 
Berties said:
When I first saw the title I thought I'd missed a few months and it was time for Father Christmas
Beef dishes as you say ,I've used them in a mint pesto for lamb ,in cheese straw and palmier style nibbles,serve them with cheese selections and have pureed them with grilled goats cheese
Click to expand...
Do you know, I never associated them with Christmas! I'm not even sure when I first came across them for we certainly didn't have them at christmas when I was a kid. They are so quaint and quintessentially British - rather like the two The Two Fat Ladies, who I have seen using them (though the dish alludes me). Thanks for the ideas. I'd never thought of the pesto and will definitely try that. In fact I'll make it on Sunday to go with roast lamb.I like the idea of pureeing them - for some reason I'd only considered using them whole or in halves.
 
morning glory said:
Do you know, I never associated them with Christmas! I'm not even sure when I first came across them for we certainly didn't have them at christmas when I was a kid. They are so quaint and quintessentially British - rather like the two The Two Fat Ladies, who I have seen using them (though the dish alludes me). Thanks for the ideas. I'd never thought of the pesto and will definitely try that. In fact I'll make it on Sunday to go with roast lamb.I like the idea of pureeing them - for some reason I'd only considered using them whole or in halves.
Click to expand...
See I associate them with Xmas , something left over in the Xmas hamper along with a tin of gentlemans relish , I have gathered some walnuts from a local tree , and did pickle some,but I have better uses for the walnuts really!!
 
Last edited:
Berties said:
See I associate them with Xmas , something left over in the Xmas hamper along with a tin of gentlemans relish , I have gathered some walnuts from a local tree , and did pickle some,but I have better uses for the walnuts really!!
Click to expand...

Ah, Gentlemen's Relish. Another British curiosity. Like Marmite, you either love or hate it... for those who don't know, its basically anchovy paste with cayenne pepper, see:
https://britishfoodhistory.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/the-gentlemans-relish/ . Hey, thats quite an interesting website...
 
I have never heard such a thing as Pickled Walnuts. Now you have me curious about them. I wonder where i could get some to give them a try. I am intrigued!
 
L_B said:
I have never heard such a thing as Pickled Walnuts. Now you have me curious about them. I wonder where i could get some to give them a try. I am intrigued!
Click to expand...
As you are in Canada, try this! http://www.abitofhome.ca/opies-pickled-walnuts.html
I think that Opies, a British company are the only people who make them.
Or you could make your own!

The immature green fruit required for pickling needs to be harvested in the summer before the shell has formed. Check for the readiness with a pin: stick it in the end where the flower was and if the shell has started to form it will be about a quarter of an inch in.

How to pickle walnuts
Ingredients for 2kg pickled walnuts
  • 225g salt
  • 1 litre malt vinegar
  • 500g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
  1. Prick the walnuts with a fork and cover with water and the salt.
  2. Leave for a week, then drain and renew with a fresh brine solution for another week.
  3. Drain the walnuts and lay out on trays in a dry, airy place. After a few days they will have turned black.
  4. Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Bring them to the boil, add the walnuts and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool and spoon the nuts into large jars and cover with the liquid. They should last for years.
 
Thank you Morning Glory for your reply. I will definitely check out the link. Thanks for including the recipe. I really appreciate that. Yes I am in Canada. I am looking forward to giving them a try.
 
L_B said:
Thank you Morning Glory for your reply. I will definitely check out the link. Thanks for including the recipe. I really appreciate that. Yes I am in Canada. I am looking forward to giving them a try.
Click to expand...
Its a bit of an acquired taste, but I love them They don't really taste anything like walnuts!
 
The only walnut I know is that one in the shell. We can buy that here during the Christmas season when groceries would import them. It's nice to eat because it is much easier to peel than brazil nut which has a hard shell. With walnut, we can break it open with the use of the palm and the wooden table. The kids would break open the walnut on the floor (although that's unsanitary). We usually buy walnuts in the shell because that's the favorite nut of my husband. But we never buy shelled walnuts, it tastes different.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom