Hej friends!
The timing might not be ideal – I missed Midsummer’s Day and Christmas is so far away – but this post has been lurking here for a year now, and I’m really keen to finally let it go. So today I’m going to tell you about black walnuts. A delicacy you might associate more with Christmas, but with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, it’s even perfect for summer!
A few years ago, I was handed a small jar of black nuts, with the explanation that they were walnuts. These oddities were so strange and incomprehensible to me that, in sheer euphoria, I ate them all at once. Did they taste good? I don’t know. I was so fascinated by their edibility that the taste obviously seemed secondary. Let’s be honest, walnuts, completely shelled and pitch-black, as if they were already in an advanced stage of rotting. How does one come up with that idea?
One thing was clear: I absolutely had to make them myself, since my parents have a huge walnut tree in their garden. After a bit of research, I finally figured out the whole shell thing. The nuts have to be harvested before or at least around Midsummer’s Day, June 24th, because after June 24th, the walnut shell begins to harden and becomes inedible.
Years passed, and I consistently missed the day of the last harvest. But not last year. The green walnuts were harvested on time, and I cracked the magic formula. It was one of many, because there are several recipes, all of which are somehow the same, yet different. Very different. But I’m rather impatient, so I rummaged around for the simplest recipe, which I then made my own by misreading a few times.
Black walnuts, also known as St. John’s Nuts, are candied walnuts that are made edible through a rather complex process. The pickled nuts are free of bitter substances, have a nutty flavor, and spices like cinnamon and cloves make them reminiscent of Christmas. They are very nutrient-rich, containing protein, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and twice the amount of vitamin C of citrus fruits. Since ancient times, candied walnuts have been credited with healing properties. It is believed that they have blood-purifying and nerve-strengthening effects, and that the essential oil extracted from the black walnut can relieve skin conditions such as herpes or acne, as well as skin irritations.
Walnuts themselves, whether black, green, or crunchy, are said to have several beneficial properties. Eating walnuts promotes deworming, can regulate sweating, has a performance-enhancing effect, and improves concentration. A study from Marshall University in West Virginia shows that eating walnuts has a cancer-preventive effect and can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer. The chemical composition of the nut and the essential fatty acids and antioxidants it contains are said to ensure an intact organism, have a cholesterol-lowering effect, are anti-inflammatory and neutralize unhealthy substances in the body.
But back to the black walnuts. These are not intended to be eaten as a snack between meals, but are often served with meat dishes or cheese platters. Since the nuts harvested in summer have to “ripen” in the jar for about half a year and are therefore ready to eat in December, most people associate black walnuts with winter and Christmas. Das liegt auch an den typisch weihnachtlichen Gewürzen wie Zimt und Nelken.
Cut into thin slices, the candied nut also tastes great with vanilla ice cream! This would bring my two favorite seasons, summer and Christmas, together on one plate.
While searching for a good recipe for black walnuts, I noticed that everyone uses roughly the same ingredients. However, opinions differ greatly when it comes to the preparation (watering the nuts) and the candied nuts. Some seem to directly celebrate the effort involved. More repetitions, longer cooking times, even more repetitions, intensive speaking to the nuts, even more repeated boiling and the length of storage ultimately makes the black nut the nation’s “truffle.”
It is very important to leave the pickled nut standing. Between 6 weeks and 4-5 years. The gourmet naturally recommends that you focus on schnapps, which only reaches its peak after many years. But I couldn’t wait that long, so I decided to try a less complicated recipe and today I can say that my black nuts taste delicious, even with a little less effort.
Black nuts recipe
1 kg green walnuts
1 liter of water
1 kg
Fine granulated sugar
5 rods
Cinnamon
1 vanilla pod
6 organic lemons (sliced)
1 tbsp cloves
1. Harvest and wash the green walnuts before June 24th.
2. For the next step, be sure to use rubber gloves, as the nuts stain heavily and the dark stains are extremely difficult to get out.
3. Using a larding needle, pierce the whole nuts several times (10-12 times) to the center. Place the nuts in a pot or similar container, cover with water and weigh them down with a plate so that the nuts do not float on top.
4. Leave the nuts for about 2 weeks, changing the water every morning and evening. This removes the bitter substances and you can also watch them become darker and black.
5. Day 15: Put the sugar in a large pot and caramelize it slightly. Deglaze with water and bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, the remaining ingredients are added and the soaked walnuts are added. Bring everything to the boil again and let it cool overnight.
6. Day 16: Bring everything to a boil again and simmer for about half an hour. Strain the sugar liquid and boil it down to a nice marinade. Fill the nuts into clean jars and pour hot marinade over them. Close the jars immediately and store in a cool, dark place for at least 6 months.
That’s it. I’m grabbing my girls and we’re jetting off to Sweden today! This year is going to be fantastic. Finally summer!!! YAY! Have a great time, dear friends! Byeeeeeeeee!
Yours
