John Myers
It lies whole with the shell on the Christmas plate, chopped up as a topping for salads and ground up as an aromatic baking ingredient: the kernel of the walnut has many delicious faces
Worth knowing about the walnut
The real walnut is a deciduous tree whose fruits are ripe in autumn. Presumably originating in Persia, the walnut tree is now widespread as a cultivated plant and is also cultivated in Europe – especially in France, Greece, and Spain. The largest walnut producers worldwide are China, the USA, and Iran (according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as of 2018). As with the hazelnut, the kernel of the walnut is in a hard shell. In the case of the latter, it is covered by a green coat that bursts open when the fruit is ripe. If you collect walnuts yourself, you should peel off the shell thoroughly, spread the nuts out in a well-ventilated, dry, and warm place and let them dry for four to six weeks.
Purchasing and storage
You can get whole walnuts from imports as well as shelled goods all year round. In the kitchen, walnuts are in season, especially in the run-up to Christmas: This is when the aromatic kernels of the nuts are used, for example, to bake walnut biscuits for the Advent plate. When buying, make sure that the shell does not have any cracks or moldy areas. According to the consumer center, shaking helps to assess the freshness. If the kernel rattles in the shell, this indicates dried, old or possibly moldy goods. Store whole walnuts in a dark, dry and airy place, preferably hanging up in nets. They will keep like this for about 12 months. Torn packs with shelled walnut kernels and ground goods should be used up as quickly as possible – there is a risk that the products will go rancid if they are stored for too long.
Kitchen tips for the walnut
The nut fruits, which were formerly classified as stone fruit in botany, enrich many dishes. In addition to sweet delights such as walnut biscuits or a fine apple and walnut cake, you can also prepare savory dishes with walnuts. Chopped walnuts, briefly roasted in a pan, are popular as a topping for salads. You can also dress the dressing with walnut oil. Freshly baked walnut bread is also a real treat. To use up supplies, walnut pesto, walnut spread, and walnut vinegar are recommended.
Use
Walnuts are used in both sweet and savory dishes. They taste good in cakes, biscuits, bread, for example, our walnut bread, muesli, salads, pasta dishes, in meat and vegetable fillings (such as in our turkey roast recipe), and of course with cheese platters. The typical taste unfolds even better if the nuts are roasted in a pan without fat until they start to smell. With the soft outer shell, green nuts can be preserved in alcohol, vinegar, or sugar syrup. They are served with meat and game dishes.
