How to make pickled walnuts
Walnuts are packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, but it can be a challenge to harvest them before your local wildlife does. Sanjida O’Connell offers a solution.
Published: June 10, 2021 at 9:25 am
Ingredients
- 1kg Walnuts
- ½l Good vinegar
- 250g Brown sugar
- 1tsp Cloves
- 1tsp Cinnamon
- 1tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
Methods
Step 1
Prick each walnut a couple of times with a fork. Wear rubber gloves to do this, because though the sap is clear, it will stain everything dark brown. Cover the walnuts with very salty water. Rinse after a week, then leave them in a fresh salty solution for another week. Finally, lay the walnuts out on a tray to dry for a couple of days.
Pricking walnuts with a fork. © Sanjida O'Connell Step 2
Make a light syrup from the vinegar, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon and grated fresh ginger. Add the (now jet-black) walnuts when the syrup reaches boiling point and simmer for 15 minutes. Spoon the walnuts into jars, cover with the syrup and seal.
Ingredients for the syrup. © Sanjida O'Connell Step 3
Pickled walnuts go well with cheese, nut roast or mashed potatoes. You could also add them to a pilaff with brown rice, raisins and pine nuts flavoured with fresh ginger, garlic, saffron and coriander leaves. My favourite way to use them, though, is to make a chutney with walnuts, plums and brandy.
Pickled walnuts. © Sanjida O'Connell