Pickled walnuts

Pickled walnuts are a traditional English pickle, made from walnuts.

History

Pickled walnuts have been a delicacy in England since at least the early 18th-century. They were mentioned in several literary works

Prof Richard Bradley FRS in his book The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in 1728. There is an entry for June,

Charles Dickens in his book The Pickwick Papers, published in 1836. In chapter 49 he writes,

Pickled walnuts are also mentioned in Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.

Pickled walnuts are still commonly eaten in England, particularly at Christmas served with an English blue cheese such as Stilton. They are also used in recipes, commonly cooked in beef dishes.

Production

Pickled walnuts are made from the fruit of both common walnut tree varieties: Juglans regia, the Persian, royal, English or common walnut, and Juglans nigra, the black or American walnut.

The first stage is to pick the walnuts whilst they are still green and before the shells have set. Most recipes say that late June is about the best time to pick them. The soft walnuts are then soaked in brine (salt water) for at least ten days. The walnuts are then drained and left to dry in the air. Soaking the walnuts in brine causes a chemical reaction to take place and the walnuts turn dark brown to black in colour when exposed to sunlight. The now-black walnuts are then placed into jars and a pickling solution poured over them. This can vary from a straightforward pickling vinegar to a solution containing spices and sugar. The walnuts are sealed and then left in the jars for anywhere between five days and eight weeks depending on which recipe is followed.