Wet walnuts
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Discoveries | 60 comments
Years ago I used to visit Partridges, a wonderful delicatessen on Sloane Square. From now, throughout October and sometimes into November, they sold wet walnuts. I discovered this delicacy there.
Wet walnuts are fresh walnuts that have not been dried for keeping. They are crunchy with a milky, mild walnut taste and excellent with a soft cheese, in a salad or a sauce. They are also packed with omega 3, if you need an excuse for rushing out to taste them. You neededn’t point your car in the direction of Partridges if you live in the country. You probably have someone in your circle of friends who has a bountifull walnut tree. I often find walnut saplings in my garden. I don’t nurture them. A walnut tree in your garden tends to result in the squirrels trying to establish a walnut grove on your lawn. Best avoided.
We tried a walnut sauce with pheasant once – made with dried walnuts. It was far too rich. I have discovered that a sauce made with wet walnuts does not have that cloying taste. It is walnutty and fresh. Perfect with game or even pasta. I suddenly twigged that most great walnut sauces are made with wet walnuts.
Last week I was exploring the estate where I am working and spotted these small green fruit in the grass. Curious, I looked up and discovered that I was standing beneath a massive walnut tree. These were the first of the season’s bounty. I peeled off the thick green skin and opened the walnut with my penknife. Walnuts don’t need nut crackers, even dried ones. Put the point of a knife into the rounded end, twist and it should open easily. At this time of year, you will have the two halves of walnut shell filled with the crisp fresh nut resting in your palm.
Today I showed my joiner friend, Hugh, the same tree and the nuts. He has a walnut tree in his garden but the squirrels get all of his before he can even say nut. Consequently, he hadn’t tasted a wet walnut. It was good to make the introductions.
When you have finished snacking don’t discard the shells. They can be made into tiny sailing boats if you have children to amuse. They also make perfect cradles for the dolls house. If you are nifty with a mini drill bit you can make a couple of holes in each half and fashion a simple hinge out of thick button thread – then you will have a romantic receptacle for a teeny present for someone very special.
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Ohhhhhh Guess what I found at the farm shop today!!!! So we are going to be trying wet Walnuts a bit later today!!!!
Update – Kate discovered a walnut tree on the village school playing-field….and the headteacher have given her blessing to collect all the windfalls ….whayhey, free walnuts!
Hi LizO,
We have eaten all the wet walnuts that I collected. We ate them for lunch with cheese and oatcakes. These fresh walnuts are great with pasta too. I am going to forage for some more and freeze them, unshelled, to put in game casseroles.
Your wet walnuts have loads of uses, you could even dry them for later.
Thanks for the update. Much appreciated. Looking forward to next summer!
Hi
I hope you didn’t try too many walnuts. apparently they should be picked in July when the fruit is soft right through because pickling them in vinegar increases the hardening of the shell. I was advised to try spearing the nuts I had collected but they are obviously too hard so I am going to put them out in the sun until the green skins start to split and hope that I can reach something edible inside, and try the pickling trail again next year. I, however, will refine my Mother’s receipes (or receipts!) and let you have my thoughts when I’ve done it so that we can both have a go next summer, hoping that it will be better than this year!!
All the best
LizO :o)
Hi LizO,
My aunt always called recipes receipts. Old school stuff but it threw me the first time that she referred to one..
I would love to hear your pickled walnut updates. I thought that pickled walnuts were made with very young fruit. Delighted to hear that they can be made with wet walnuts at this time of year!
We were invited to a dinner party tonight. Dye is still clinging on and is getting embarrassing now.
Hold that thought, my mother and I have been doing more research and have found an old Mrs Beeton receipt (as she liked to call them) which my mother thinks must have been the one that she would have followed when we had that magnificent walnut tree. Today I collected a carrier bag full of nuts all cosily still in their green skins, and tomorrow I shall follow the instructions. Mrs Beeton reckons that it takes a week to make them, but my mother reckons that it takes somewhat longer than that so we shall have to wait and see. If you are interested I can give you regular updates as to their progress? A small way of saying thankyou for the great support from the Cottage Smallholder site. Also I’ll let you know whether I have a problem with stained fingers!!
LizO :o)
Hi LizO
I’d be really interested to hear how the recipe works out. It sounds like just the sort of recipe that would be great on the site. Thanks for the update.
Hi it’s me again.
I have just spoken to my mother who remembers making pickled walnuts 50 years ago, the occasion that I also remember.
Apparently you use green walnuts (wet walnuts), prick them all over with a stainless steel needle or pin then lay them out to dry in the sun (?) until they turn black then put them in jars and cover with vinegar. So that’s where I’m off to this afternoon to gather a few and give it a try!
I’ll let you know if it works then maybe we could add a recipe to your site.
Best wishes
LizO :o)
Hi
I have childhood memories of my mother preparing wet walnuts for pickling. Unfortunately I don’t know quite what to do but have found a good supply of walnuts which are at the ‘wet’ stage now which I think is right for pickling but I cannot find a recipe anywhere on the Cottage Smallholder site or any other site – just jars for sale which is not what I want. I am making as many things as possible from the hedgerows and countryside this year, as I can to give as Christmas presents. Can you please help and let me know how to proceed with this and then I will go and collect a bagful from my secret location!
LizO :o)
Hi Monique in Texas,
So pleased that you are enjoying the blog.
Thanks for the tip about the walnut husks. For the first time yesterday, I noticed that the husks had dyed my hands. It seems pretty indelible!