Tiny Little Green Walnuts

[Kerry Beal]

I've been watching my dad's walnut trees with an eye to making some nocino and vin de noix this year. I'm heading up north at the end of the week and tonight I discovered that one of his trees finally is starting to show some fruit. The immature nuts are about an inch by a half inch - so too small for making booze, but I suspect just perfect for pickling or some sort of preserve.

I've been combing old threads trying to find the name for the traditional preserve made from these little nuggets - but I've had no success so far.

I cut one in 4 and had a little taste and they are quite amazing. Very intensely flavoured - albeit a bit astringent.

So - any recipes? or just help me figure out what the preserves are called so I can start searching in the right places.

[djyee100]

I am so-o jealous. I must make friends with someone with a walnut tree.

I did a search on Google for "green walnut preserves" and got a some links. An alternative name is "young walnuts."

A couple historical recipes here. "'To Pickel Wallnutts Green...'Let your nutts be green as not to have any shell; then run a kniting pin two ways through them...' "

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/w/walnut06.html#rec

And a more modern Armenian recipe:

http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?titl...NGUYZ_MURAPA.29

[Kerry Beal]

I am so-o jealous. I must make friends with someone with a walnut tree.

I did a search on Google for "green walnut preserves" and got a some links. An alternative name is "young walnuts."

A couple historical recipes here. "'To Pickel Wallnutts Green...'Let your nutts be green as not to have any shell; then run a kniting pin two ways through them...' "

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/w/walnut06.html#rec

And a more modern Armenian recipe:

http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?titl...NGUYZ_MURAPA.29

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I've been looking at these recipes too - coming up against the issue of not being around long enough to complete most of them. Some want me to change the brine or vinegar every few days. Others want me to peel the little suckers - I'm not up for that this week. I did find one for a paste - with honey and spices that sounds kind of intriguing - and it will help 'heat my kidneys and increase my urine' - god knows we all need that. Here is a link on the Wonderful World of Manure and Bodily Fluids website.

[Kerry Beal]

Here is a walnut ketsup that sounds interesting, but again calls for an 8 day brine that won't work for me right now.

[Tri2Cook]

Here is a walnut ketsup that sounds interesting, but again calls for an 8 day brine that won't work for me right now.

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That's a cool sounding recipe.

[djyee100]

[i've been looking at these recipes too - coming up against the issue of not being around long enough to complete most of them. 

The process reminds me of curing olives. I guess all that brining and soaking lessens the astringency. What kind of time frame are you looking for?

[Kerry Beal]

[i've been looking at these recipes too - coming up against the issue of not being around long enough to complete most of them. 

The process reminds me of curing olives. I guess all that brining and soaking lessens the astringency. What kind of time frame are you looking for?

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For the little tiny ones I need to be completely done by Friday - so 6 days counting today where I would have to pick and start to process them.

[jackal10]

SIx days is tough.

Here is a traditional recipe. Its messy, and walnut juice stains

1. Soak the green walnuts, picked before the shells form (mid June) in a brine made form 1lb slat to a gallon of water for three days.

2. Change the brine and soak in fresh brine for a week

3. Drain, spread oon dishes and expose to the air until they turn black (about a day)

4. When quite black pack into jars and cover with hot speiced sweet vinegar. Seal, leave for a month or more before eating

3 pt brown vinegar 5%

1 lb brown sugar

1.5 tsp salt

1 tsp mixed pickling spice

1 tsp peppercorns

1 tsp cloves

Boil together for 5 mins and before pouring over the walnuts

[djyee100]

Jackal10, what quantity of green walnuts for your recipe?

[Kerry Beal]

I think I'll just try candying them. A couple of quick boils to get rid of as much astringency as possible, then successive boils in sugar syrup. I think I'll add a vanilla pod and maybe a bit of cinnamon stick.

[jackal10]

They make very good glyko - greek spoon sweets

http://greekfood.about.com/od/traditionals...yko_karythi.htm

[gfron1]

Kicking this topic up again.  I over harvested for my nocino this year and have a gallon or so left of these.  Any thoughts on using them.

[Kerry Beal]

Vin de noix?

[heidih]

Vin de noix?

 

Abra's recipes always make sense http://frenchletters.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/slow-walnut-wine/