Pickled Walnuts

A friend's prolific walnut tree got rather wind damaged recently.  The trunk split into four large branches about waist height, with strong winds from an unusual direction, three of those branches split off the trunk and were lying on the ground although still attached to the main trunk.

Fearful that the entire crop would be wasted, we were invited to pick some green walnuts if we wanted some.

Not sure what to do with green walnuts, we were a bit dubious.  Then we were told about pickled walnuts.  Why not give it a go?  So we picked a fair amount of the small ones.

Pickled Walnuts take about 2 weeks before they make it into the jar, then a further 4-12 weeks (depending on your recipe) before they're ready to eat.

I was given a recipe by the friend who suggested pickling the walnuts, then I found 2 very similar recipes in my books at home.

I've been told they have a strong flavour, so when it comes to eating them with crackers and cheese, make sure you choose a strong cheese or it will get lost or overpowered.  I still haven't tried it, but I figure that I have enough friends who will take it if we don't like it.

A few notes and lessons I learned the hard way:

My fingers were this dark for weeks.

Walnut juice will dye your hands black.  Wear rubber gloves.  Six weeks later I still have brown marks on my fingernails.

This is only partially shadow - mostly it is blackened fingertips dyed by walnut juice

Even when your pricking tool (of whatever type you choose) goes easily into the fruit, it can still be quite hard on your hands.  A wad of masking tape as a handle makes a huge difference.

The brine looks dreadful after a day.  It goes black and oily looking and smells awful.  This is normal and probably why the recipe has you change the brine every three days.

All the recipes I found specified malt vinegar.  As I am Coeliac, malt vinegar is not an option.  I used white vinegar, but haven't tried the walnuts out on folks who know and love them yet to see if it made a big difference.

Pickled Walnuts

Prick the green walnuts all over.  Push your darning needle or pick tool at least into the middle of the fruit - discard any that are hard to prick.

Cover the fruit in brine and leave for 3 days.  Drain and cover again in brine for another 3 or 4 days.  Drain (again) and cover again in brine for another 3 or 4 days.

After brining

Drain.  Line a tray with newspaper and spread the walnuts out to dry in a warm place, turning occasionally for a few days  - or until black and dry.  A sunny windowsill is ideal for this.

Apologies for the blurry photo, but the colours should show.

Make the spiced vinegar:

2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
4 thin slices of fresh ginger
1.8 litres malt vinegar
450g light brown sugar

Lightly crush the spices with a mortar and pestle to bruise them slightly.  Put into spice bag or muslin with garlic and ginger.
Heat vinegar and sugar with spice bag in a large pan to dissolve the sugar.  Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for about 15 mins.  Allow to cool before removing the spices.

Pack the walnuts into dry sterilised jars, cover with the vinegar and seal.  Store for 8 to 12 weeks before using.

UPDATE (21 Feb 2019)

These walnuts are awful.  They're hard and kind of woody and you can taste the vinegar but not the spices.

I read a piece from a company in England that has been making them for about 100 years, they steam theirs before brining and pickling.  I might try that next time.

Other things to do with Walnuts:

Apple and Walnut Crumble

Other Pickles:

Onion Jam