Gather the large nuts in the fall, usually after mid-October. Remove the husk as you would cut a melon or avocado. This husk can be fermented to produce the famous black walnut dye for cloth or stain for wood. Wash the nuts in running water until no more black pigment stains the water. Let the nuts dry, then bag them in burlap. Store in a dry, cool basement. They seem to keep for years.
Black walnut is a tough nut to crack! Forget your basic household nutcracker; seek out a cracker specially designed for these nuts, preferably one that will also work on the kinds of nuts in this book. Crack the nuts only as you use them, or freeze any extra.
Sherry's Cream of Black Walnut Soup
This is a hearty soup that can be made from freshly cracked black walnuts that have been stored whole over the winter.
2 cups chopped walnuts ¼ cup chopped celery 1 Tbs chopped chives 5 cups chicken stock 2 Tbs cream sherry 2 tsp butter 1 cup heavy cream salt to taste nutmeg for topping
Combine walnuts, celery, chives with the chicken stock in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cook for twenty minutes on medium. Stir in the sherry, butter, cream and salt. Reheat and serve with a sprinkling of nutmeg.
Cajun Walnut and Rice Soup
Cook this soup a day ahead of time, and heat up just before serving. A good soup for using your microwave.
¾ cup ground walnuts 2 tsp gumbo file ½ cup raw rice 2 Tbs wild rice 1 small onion 4½ cups chicken stock
Gumbo file is a combination of sassafras and thyme available as a spice in gourmet food shops. Combine the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Then cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes or until the rice is tender. Serves four.
Blackie's Walnut Cheese Sticks
Obtain the ingredients for a one crust pie crust to start.
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded 1 egg white ¾ finely chopped nut meats 1 Tbs water
Beat the egg white with the water until frothy. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make the pie crust according to its recipe but mix in the cheese before adding the water. Roll out dough to ¼" thick. Cut into finger sized sticks. Brush the surface of these sticks in egg white mixture. Roll in chopped nuts and place in ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Serve warm, not hot, this a finger food. Makes about three dozen.
Rusty's Chicken Walnut Salad
The is a large salad, great for a SONG picnic or field day. The recipe makes 24 servings.
4½ lbs torn lettuce leaf 3 lb tomato wedges 12 oz walnut pieces 6 oz sliced green onions 4½ lbs smoked chicken, shredded 1½ lbs hard-cooked eggs, sieved Creamy Black Walnut Salad Dressing (next recipe)
For each serving, toss 3 oz lettuce, 2 oz tomatoes, ½ oz walnuts, ¼ oz green onions with 1 oz of dressing. Arrange on a serving plate. Arrange 3 oz of chicken over the greens. Top with 1 oz of egg.
Creamy Black Walnut Salad Dressing
This creamy dressing is used with the Rusty's Chicken Walnut Salad, but could be used as a tantalizing sauce for cold splake, cisco or white fish.
3 1/3 cups olive oil 1¾ cups apple cider vinegar 7 oz black walnut pieces 12 eggs 3½ oz shallots, chopped ½ oz parsley, chopped 5¼ tsp lemon juice 1½ tsp dry mustard 2½ tsp sea salt
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy smooth. Yields seven cups.
Rummy's Black Walnut Conserve
This conserve goes well with any full-bodied meat or game.
½ cup sugar 1½ cup brown sugar 4 cups water 1 cup cider vinegar 2 Tbs honey ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp cloves ½ tsp allspice ½ tsp whole mustard seed ½ tsp curry powder 1 lemon peel grated 3 cups black walnut meats ½ cup dark rum
Combine all the ingredients, except the walnuts and rum, in a saucepan and boil until as thick as jam, stirring constantly. Add walnuts and simmer 5 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in rum. Pour into sterilized ½ pint jars and seal. Makes 4 half pint jars.
Peach & Nut Conserve
6 cups chopped, peeled peaches juice of 2 lemons 25 Maraschino cherries, cut in quarters 3¾ cups sugar 1¼ cups chopped walnuts
Combine all ingredients, except nuts, in heavy preserving kettle. Cook, stirring frequently, until thick (about 30 minutes). Add nuts & stir in well. Ladle into hot, sterilized canning jars, filling to top of jars. Seal immediately. Makes 48 fluid ounces.
Black Walnut Milkweed Vegies
Many parts of the common eastern Ontario milkweed make tasty vegetables, such as the young shoots, leaves, or pods. Use any in this recipe, though the pods look the best. Milkweed contains latex, great base for paint, but not too palatable, therefore preparatory boiling is required. Boil enough water to cover the milkweed pods, immerse and boil gently for a minute. Repeat twice, and delicately taste; if any bitterness remains, repeat leaching a third time.
The flavour of black walnuts complements the milkweed deliciously. Serve as the vegie for plain venison roast along with a green salad and pine nut pie for dessert. Makes enough for eight.
2 cups black walnut meats 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs ¼ cup butter ½ tsp salt Freshly ground pepper to taste 3 cups prepared milkweed pods ¼ tsp crumbled dry thyme or ½ tsp crumbled dry basil or ¾ tsp chopped fresh thyme 1½ tsp chopped fresh basil Water as needed
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Toast the nuts in a shallow pan in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the nuts and raise the oven setting to 350°F. Mix the bread crumbs with the salt, thyme, basil, and black pepper. Put into a buttered 1½ quart casserole a layer of milkweed pods, a layer of nuts, and a sprinkling of herbed crumbs. Continue layering in this manner, ending with layer of the remaining crumbs. Sprinkle with just enough water to moisten the top, less than ¼ cup. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, removing the cover for the last 10 minutes to allow browning. Serve immediately.
Walnutty Potatoes
This is the recipe for ultimate potato dish with the main course!
6 large potatoes 1 cup ground walnuts 4 Tbs melted butter ¼ cup heavy cream
Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and mash. Place half the mashed potatoes in the bottom of a quart casserole, and top with half the walnuts and half the butter. Add the remaining potatoes, and sprinkle the rest of the nuts, butter and all the cream. Cover and bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Serve piping hot. Makes about four servings.
Black Walnut Humpty Dumplings
Pop these into beef, buffalo, venison, elk, or moose stew or soup.
½ cup ground black walnut ¼ cup milk 2 Tbs melted butter ½ cup all-purpose flourCombine all the ingredients, and stir until smooth. Drop the batter, a tablespoonful at a time, into hot soup or stew. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Yields about four servings.
Black Walnut Onion Grenades
This 6 serving recipe goes back a long way.
6 medium Spanish onions ½ cup minced fresh mushrooms 1 cup unseasoned cooked rice 1 Tbs boiled wild rice 1 tsp sea salt 2/3 cup finely chopped walnuts 1/8 tsp black pepper 1 egg, slightly beaten ¼ tsp crushed thyme leaf
Lightly sautée the mushrooms in 2 Tbs of butter. Peel the onions, then slice off the top fourth of each. Parboil the onions in about one inch of water in a covered kettle 15 - 18 minutes or until they are almost tender and the insides can be scooped out easily. Drain the onions well, then very gently scoop out all but the outer two layers of onion so as to make onion "cups" with walls about ¼ inch thick. An apple corer will help remove the centers. Finely chop enough of the scooped-out onion to measure one cup and reserve. The remainder can be used for other purposes. Mix the rice, walnuts and egg, stir in the reserved 1 cup of chopped onion, the sautéed mushrooms, salt pepper and thyme. Toss lightly. Fill the onion cups with the mixture, packing it in gently and mounding it on the top. Arrange in a pie pan and bake uncovered in a moderate oven (325°F) for 30 to 35 minutes or until stuffing is light brown.
Algonquin's Black Walnut Oxed Mushroom
This recipe is from the Algonquin Hotel in the heart of New York City. This small hotel is the favourite of all kinds of interesting people who have a variety of reasons for loving it, not the least of which is the food.
60 medium mushrooms (1½ lbs) salt to taste lemon juice 6 oz softened cream cheese 2/3 pt sour cream ½ cup Dijon mustard a 4 to 6 lb cooked ox tongue, finely chopped 60 shelled walnut halves
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove stems and clean the mushrooms. Place the mushroom caps in a large shallow oven proof dish; sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Bake 10 to 15 minutes. Chill. Combine cream cheese, sour cream and mustard into a smooth sauce. Gently mix the chopped ox tongue with the sauce and spoon the mixture into the chilled, blanched mushroom caps. Top each stuffed mushroom cap with a walnut half. Serve on a platter centered with a small bowl of salted walnuts. Yield is 60 stuffed mushrooms.
K9's Black Walnut Hush Puppies
This recipe makes about 24 servings.
1½ lbs corn muffin mix 2 oz yellow corn meal 1 tsp cayenne 1 cup water 2 oz warm bacon fat 8 oz small black walnut bits vegetable oil as needed powdered sugar as neededCombine the muffin mix, corn meal, and cayenne. Mix in the water to blend. Mix in the bacon fat, then walnuts. For each serving, drop three level tablespoons of batter into the hot oil (375°F). Deep fry until brown and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and serve hot, dusted with the powdered sugar. Accompany with maple syrup, ham and eggs. Note: use muffin mix specifying water as the only additional ingredient.
Bombay Walnut Chutney Tarts
These tarts are served as a vegetable with the main course.
4 baked 3-inch tart shells 3 Tbs parsley, chopped 1/3 cup chopped walnuts 2 Tbs mango chutney 3 Tbs butter ½ tsp cayenne pepper 2/3 cup cottage cheese
Place the tart shells in a warm oven until you have the filling ready. Brown the walnuts in the butter for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients. Combine and put into the tart shells and bake at 250°F just long enough to heat, or about 5 minutes. Serve piping hot. Makes about 4 servings.
Black Walnut Tsatsivi
This recipe calls for a black walnut sauce to be made from the broth of the chicken which it will eventually cover. First we start the chicken.
4 small chicken breasts, skinned and boned 1½ quarts water 1 small onion 1 small carrot salt and pepper to taste
Simmer the chicken breast in about 1½ quarts of water onion, carrot, salt and pepper until tender. When done remove from broth and let cool. Reserve 1½ cups of broth for the sauce.
2 small onions, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 Tbs olive oil ½ cup reserve broth 1 sprig coriander leaves, chopped fine ¾ cup shelled walnuts 1/8 tsp powdered cloves 1/8 tsp saffron 1 pinch of chili or cayenne pepper 1½ Tbs red wine vinegar salt, pepper to taste
To make the sauce, fry onions and garlic in oil, for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add all the other ingredients, and simmer for about 5 minutes. While still hot, pour into blender and blend to a fine, light paste. Pour over chicken breasts which have been cut into quarters and let stand 30 minutes before serving.
Black Walnut Yam Bread
This recipe can make 2 sweet, moist and light loaves and 8 muffins.
½ cup of soft butter ½ cup shortening 2 2/3 cups sugar 4 eggs 2 cups cold mashed yams 3½ cups sifted flour 1 tsp salt 1½ tsp ground nutmeg 2 tsp baking soda 1 cup chopped black walnuts 2/3 cup cold strong black coffee
Cream the butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in yams. Sift together the dry ingredients and add the nuts. Stir in creamed mixture alternately with the cold coffee. Pour the batter into 2 greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans and 8 greased muffin-pan cups. Bake in a moderate oven, 375°F, 1 hour for the loaves and 25 minutes for the muffins, or until they test done in the center. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from the pans and cool completely.
New England Black Walnut Bran Bread
It's the black walnuts that make this bread the rich dark quick-bread that it is. No other nuts will do.
4 cups bran flakes 1 cup seedless raisins ½ cup sugar 2 eggs, well beaten 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/3 cup vegetable oil ½ tsp salt 2 cups milk 1 cup coarsely chopped black walnuts. 1 cup molasses with 2 tsp baking soda stirred in.
In a large mixing stir the bran flakes with the sugar, flour, salt, walnuts and raisins until the bran flakes, nuts and fruit are well dredged with the dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl beat the eggs with the oil and milk just enough to blend. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the molasses/soda mixture, then the egg mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon just enough to mix. The batter will be quite thin. Pour the batter into 2 well-greased - and - floured 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans (the batter will no more than half fill each pan). Bake in a moderately slow oven (325°F) for about one hour, or until the loaves have pulled away from the sides of the pan and are springy to the touch. The loaves will still not entirely fill the pans. Remove form the oven, cool the loaves in their pans upright on a wire rack for 10 minutes, them remove from the pans and cool thoroughly before slicing. The bread is good spread with butter or cream cheese.
Forfar Black Walnut Bread
If possible, use the supreme sharp cheddar cheese, namely Forfar of eastern Ontario.
3 cups all-purpose flour Juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon 1 1/3 cups brown sugar plus enough water to TOTAL 1 1/8 cups 2¼ tsp baking powder 1½ tsp baking soda 1½ cups shredded Forfar cheddar Finely grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon 2 eggs slightly beaten 1/3 cup vegetable shortening 1½ cups fresh or frozen cran-berries, coarsely chopped. 1 cup black walnuts
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, orange and lemon rinds in a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix; then, using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the juice mixture, then the cheese and eggs, stirring only enough to mix. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Pour the batter into a well greased - and - floured 9½ x 5¾ x 3 inch loaf pan and bake in a moderate oven (350°F) for about one hour and 10 minutes or until the bread is nicely browned and springy to the touch. Remove the bread from the oven and cool in the pan upright on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and cool to room temperature before slicing. Spread with butter or cream cheese or eat just plain.
Mennonite Black Walnut Banana Cake
This recipe serves 10-12 and the cake can be filled or frosted.
1½ cups sugar ½ cup butter or shortening 2 eggs 1 cup thinly sliced bananas 1 tsp vanilla ¾ cup sour milk 1 tsp soda 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup fine ground black walnuts
Cream the sugar, butter or shortening together. Beat in the eggs, bananas, vanilla, sour milk and the soda. Sift together, then beat in, the flour and baking powder. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 9 inch cake tin. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.
The cake can be split and filled with pudding or custard, and sliced bananas can be added. To make the frosting combine in a double boiler ½ cup tart jelly, 1 unbeaten egg white and a dash of salt. Beat while cooking until jelly disappears. Remove from the heat and continue beating until the frosting stands in peaks. Spread on the cake, it is a lovely to look at as to eat.
Apricot Walnut Cake
Keep the following in mind about decorating this desert. Make praline with pecans or hazelnuts, and grind into a powder for flavouring the icing, pastry cream or whipped cream. Caramelize black walnuts, whole hazels, or pecan halves for placing on the cake. This recipe serves 24.
8 oz butter 14 oz sugar 6 eggs 1 pint milk 1 lb 2 oz cake flour 1 Tbs, 1 tsp cream of tartar 2 tsp baking soda 14 oz Black Walnut pieces 20 oz fresh apricots 1 lb apricot preserves 1 Tbs grated lemon peel 24 black walnut halves whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Cream the butter and sugar until light. Beat in the eggs one at a time until light and pale. Heat the milk till lukewarm, stir gradually into egg mixture. Combine the flour, cream of tartar and baking soda and gradually whisk into egg mixture. Pit and cut the apricots into eighths, fold in. Portion 3 lbs of batter into each of two buttered and floured 10 inch spring form pans. Bake at 400°F 40-50 minutes until top is golden and knife in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on rack, then remove sides of pans. Melt and strain the apricot preserves, combine with the lemon peel and spread over the cake to glaze. Garnish with the walnuts. Cut each cake into 12 wedges. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of ice cream.
Black Walnut Carrot Cake
2 cup sugar 1 tsp. Cinnamon 1½ cups cooking oil 1 tsp vanilla 4 eggs 1 cup black walnuts (chopped) 2 cup flour 3 med. Carrots (finely grated) 2 tsp. Baking powder
In a large mixing bowl combine sugar and oil, beat until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat mixture until fluffy. Add finely grated carrots and beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon, add to sugar mixture a small amount at a time, beat well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well. Add black walnuts and mix again. Pour mixture into a tube or bundt pan, bake at 350°F. for 60 minutes.
Icing: ½ cup sugar ½ tsp Corn syrup ¼ cup sour milk ¼ tsp baking soda
Place ingredients in small saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture foams. Pour over cake while cake is still warm.
Black Walnut Cake
3 cups sifted cake flour 2½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup butter, softened 1¾ cups sugar 2 eggs 1½ teaspoons vanilla 1¼ cups milk 1 cup coarsely chopped black walnuts, plus additional nuts for garnish (see note)
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour two round 9x1½-inch pans or a 9x13-inch oblong pan. (Or line 18 third-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.)
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Beat 1 minute. Stir in nuts and mix well, then turn batter into pan(s).
Bake until cake shrinks from pan(s) and tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes (top will not be very brown). Cool in pan(s) 10 minutes before removing.
Maple Icing: ½ cup softened butter 1 teaspoon maple flavoring (not syrup) 1 lb. sifted confectioners' sugar 3 teaspoons milk or cream
Cream butter, add maple flavoring, and beat well. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, adding milk a teaspoon at a time. Beat well to a light, fluffy consistency. Frost cake, and sprinkle top with broken nutmeats -- or perfect halves if you're lucky!
Black Walnut Moo Candy
There is a rumour that this recipe was written by a consultant employed by a Jersey with milk too rich to drink, hence the name. Some think it true, others who think Jerseys cannot afford consultants are sceptical. Regardless, it is a good confection that serves eight souls.
2½ cups brown sugar 8 Tbs butter ½ cup heavy, heavy cream 1 cup black walnuts
Combine the sugar and cream, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat, add the butter and stir until it melts. Remove from the heat, add the walnuts, and beat until thick and creamy. Pour into a greased tray, let set until firm, then cut into squares and serve.
Black Walnut Wintermints
Wintermints have the clean fresh taste of peppermints, great as the after dinner mint of nut growers.
1 cup sugar ½ cup water 1 Tbs light corn syrup ½ tsp salt 6 large marshmallows 3 cups black walnut halves or pieces 5 drops oil of peppermint or ½ tsp peppermint extract
Combine the sugar, salt , water and corn syrup in a 2 quart heavy saucepan. Place over low to medium heat until sugar dissolves, then cook to the soft ball stage (234°F to 236°F). Remove from the heat, add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Add flavouring and nuts, stirring only until well combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. If the mixture starts to set in the pot, return to the heat for a minute, adding a few drops of boiling water. Store in a covered container, in the refrigerator or freezer. Makes about 36 patties or 1¼ lbs.
Orange and Black Walnuts
The flavour secret for this condiment is in the fresh orange juice.
1½ cups sugar ½ cup fresh orange juice Few drops orange food colour 1 tsp grated orange peel ½ tsp vanilla 3 cups black walnut halvesCombine the sugar and orange juice in a 2 quart heavy saucepan. Cook to soft ball stage. Maybe add a little food colour to tint a delicate orange. Remove from heat, add orange peel, vanilla and walnut halves. Stir until syrup begins to look cloudy. Before it hardens, spread mixture on a waxed paper lined baking sheet so nuts do not overlap. When cool, break into bite sized pieces. Refrigerate in a covered container, or freeze. Makes about 1 lb.
Prune Crystal Balls
You do not have to be elderly or discomforted to partake of this stimulating condiment. This recipe will make about 3 dozen.
1¾ cup sugar 2 cups water 2 thin slices of lemon 2 cups dried prunes Black Walnuts (be generous!) 2 tsp grated orange peel
Combine about 1½ cups of the sugar with the water and the lemon slices. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the prunes and simmer gently over low heat, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Cool and drain well. Slit the prunes open with a sharp paring knife and remove the pits. Fill each empty center with a black walnut half. Blend orange peel with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Roll the stuffed prunes in the mixture, and voila!
Black Walnut Poundcake
This cake is made in either a bundt or a tube pan. No frosting required; the cake is rich enough in itself. It can be dusted, though, with confectioner's powdered sugar.
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 4 eggs at room temperature 2 tsp baking powder 1 cup milk at room temperature 1 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup butter at room temperature 2 cups sugar 1 cup black walnuts, finely chopped
Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar very hard until silvery and light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the milk and the vanilla, then add the creamed mixture alternately with the sifted dry ingredients, making sure you begin and end with the dry ingredients. Beat only enough to blend. Fold in the walnuts. Spoon the batter into a well greased and floured 9 inch (12 cup) bundt pan or into a similarly prepared 9 inch tube pan. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F) for 50 or 60 minutes or until the cake is springy and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the oven and cool upright on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then loosen the rim of the cake with a thin knife and turn out of the pan. Cool completely before cutting.
Black Walnut Cranberry Pound Cake
1 cup butter 16 oz confectioner's sugar 6 eggs 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup (4 oz) black walnut pieces, chopped 1 cup fresh cranberries 2 Tbsp grated lemon rind
Pre-heat oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Add flour. Beat on an electric mixer at medium speed for 10 minutes. Stir in black walnut, cranberries and lemon rind.
Pour into greased 9 inch tube or 9 cup fluted tube cake pan. Bake at 300°F for 1½ hours or until cake is golden brown, and pulls away from the side of the pan. Cool 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a cake rack to finish cooling. Serves 10-12 people.
Black Walnut Honey Ice Cream
This stunning ice cream is sweetened with exotic honey. The recipe will make about 1½ quarts of ecstasy.
2 cups of milk 1 cup of Australian leatherwood, orange or clove honey 6 egg yolks 2 medium size ripe bananas, mashed 1 1/3 cups whip cream, beaten to soft peaks 1 cup of coarsely chopped black walnuts
Bring the milk and honey almost to a simmer in a heavy saucepan. Beat the yolks to pale yellow, and gradually beat in the hot milk solution. Float a bowl in a larger one filled with ice water and whisk the custard until it cools to room temperature. Fold in the whipped cream and bananas. Process in an ice cream maker until about half set, then add the black walnuts and complete the process. Freeze the ice cream in a covered container for several hours to mellow it.
Black Walnut Apple Candy
This recipe will produce about 5 dozen squares of candy.
1½ envelopes or Tbs unflavoured gelatin 1/3 cup water 1½ Tbs cornstarch 2 cups sugar 1 cup thick applesauce 4 Tbs lemon flavoured gelatin dessert powder ½ cup black walnuts
Sprinkle the unflavoured gelatin in the water and let soak for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and sugar until well mixed. Stir the applesauce, sugar and cornstarch together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add both the soaked and the lemon gelatins. Cook slowly for 20 minutes over a slow heat, stirring constantly. Cool. Add the black walnuts. Turn into a greased 8 inch square pan and let stand over night. Cut into 1 inch squares and roll in confectioner's sugar. Store covered in a cool place.
Frying Pan Cookies
2 eggs, beaten 1 cup white sugar 1½ cup dates, cut small 2 cup crispy rice cereal ½ cup walnuts
Grease frying pan with butter and put first three ingredients in. Stir until it comes away from pan. Add rice cereal and walnuts. When cool, roll in nuts.
Walnut Toffee
Butter a 9-inch square pan thoroughly. Spread in pan - ½ cup black walnut pieces. Mix together in heavy frypan - 1-1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar and 1 cup butter. Cook over medium heat (keep mixture bubbling), stirring constantly, for 12 minutes. Pour toffee mixture quickly over nuts. Sprinkle over hot toffee - 3 squares semi-sweet chocolate, grated ( or one chocolate bar broken into pieces). As chocolate melts, spread until smooth. Sprinkle with more chopped Black Walnuts. Chill and break into pieces.
Cheddar Date Nut Bars
1½ cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ cup butter 2 eggs 3 tsp vanilla 1½ cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup chopped dates 1 cup chopped walnuts
Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Melt butter in saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in sugar. Beat eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mix. Mix in cheese, dates and nuts. Spread batter in greased 9x13x2" rectangular baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden. Cool. Cut into bars or squares.
Apple Cheese Nut Toss
1 cup dairy sour cream ¼ cup honey 2 tsp lemon juice 4 cup diced, cored red apples 1¼ cup diced Colby cheese 1 cup sliced celery ½ cup broken walnut pieces lots of lettuce
Combine sour cream, honey, lemon juice. Chill at least 1 hour to blend flavours. Just before serving, combine apples, cheese, celery and nuts. Spoon into a lettuce-lined bowl. Pour dressing over all; toss lightly to combine. Makes about six cups.
Polly's Juglans Nigra Squares
1 cup butter 1 cup light brown sugar 3 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground allspice ¼ tsp grated nutmeg 1 egg, separated 2 cup sifted flour ¾ cup chopped black walnuts ¾ cup raisins
Cream the butter and sugar, then work in the spices. Add the egg yolk, then the flour. When well mixed, press into ungreased 9x12" flat pan. Brush the top with the egg white. Cover evenly with the nuts and raisins, pressing them into the dough. Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes. Cool in the pan, then cut into squares.
Fruit & Nut Bars
½ cup sugar ½ cup butter 1 tsp. grated orange rind 2 Tbsp. fresh frozen orange juice concentrate ¼ tsp. almond extract 1¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour ½ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. salt 1 egg 2/3 cup chopped mixed glace fruit ½ cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
Sift and measure flour. Measure fruits into a small bowl. Mix ¼ cup flour with the fruits (if some of the cherries are whole, cut them in half).
Into beater bowl measure the butter, sugar and orange rind. Beat for 5 minutes. Add orange juice concentrate and almond extract and beat in. Add the remaining cup flour, baking soda and salt and beat in. Add egg and beat in. Lift the beater and fold in the fruit and nuts. Turn batter into buttered 9 x 9" pan (greased). Push batter into corners and smooth top. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool and frost.
Orange Frosting for the Fruit & Nut Bars:
2 Tbsp. butter 1¼ cup icing sugar 1½ Tbsp. fresh frozen orange juice concentrate
Beat until smooth. Spread over cooled bars in pan. Cut into 1 or 1½" squares or 1 x 2" bars. These freeze well. Decorate with half walnuts.
Pickled Walnuts I
Use rubber gloves or your hands will be stained for weeks.
Pierce immature walnuts with needle or fork several times. Put the nuts in a strong brine - 1 cup of salt to 9 cups of water. Let stand for 9 days - stir daily Spread nuts in the sun for 3 days, turn daily. For 100 nuts: 1 ounce of ginger root ½ oz each of allspice, cloves, nutmeg and peppercorns ¼ oz mustard seed 1 cup of vinegar for each quart, plus 3 tablespoons of brown sugar cook 5 minutes for each quart - pour over the nuts.
Pickled Walnuts II
Gather green nuts in early summer when sufficiently developed to pass a pin all the way through them. Make a brine of ¾ cup salt to each quart of hot water. Let cool; pour over nuts; let stand 24 hours. Drain; cover with fresh brine; let stand 2 days; drain and rinse. Place in sun, turning over frequently until they are black.
Heat sufficient vinegar to boiling point to cover walnuts. Add ½ cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons each mustard seed, cloves, peppercorns, mace and broken cinnamon to each quart of vinegar. Pack the nuts in jars, pour over hot vinegar mixture. Seal. Walnuts should be sufficiently pickled to use in 4 to 5 days.
Pickled Walnuts III
100 green walnuts Strong enough brine to float an egg - 1 cup salt, 1 gallon water.
Cover the nuts with brine and leave ten days - change the brine every three days, keeping the nuts covered. Nuts should be black, if not spread in the sun one day. On the tenth day, pierce each nut after draining and sponging dry.
Combine: 6 tablespoons ginger root (fresh fine chop) 4 tablespoons black peppercorns 4 tablespoons allspice 2 whole cloves (heads removed) 2 tablespoons mustard seed 1 grated nutmeg 2 or 3 blades (pinch) mace Boil together for 5 - 10 minutes 6 pints of cider vinegar 2 lbs brown sugar Pack alternately nuts and spices in clod sterile jars Pour over the vinegar/sugar. This should seal them. Ready in six weeks.
Walnut Chocolate Chip Squares
Crust: 1 cup all purpose flour ¼ cup Granulated sugar 1/3 cup butter Topping: 2 eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup corn syrup 2 tbs. margarine, melted 1 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet 1 cup chopped walnuts
Crust: Combine all the ingredients, mixing until crumbly. Press firmly into greased 9 inch square cake pan. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden.
Topping: Beat eggs, sugar, syrup and butter together until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour evenly over crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer, or until set and golden. Cool completely and cut into squares.
Nut Vinaigrette
4 Tbsp. toasted black walnuts ½ cup olive oil 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice ½ tsp. sugar 1 tsp. finely grated lemon rind
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spread nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes (do not let scorch). Remove from oven and cool. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and 1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped nuts. Let stand 1 hour. Strain oil into a jar and add vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and rind. Cover and shake until ingredients are mixed. Sprinkle salad with the remaining 3 Tbsp. nuts.
Black Walnut Caramel Squares
Base: 3 cup butter ¼ cup granulated sugar 1¼ cups all purpose flour
Mix together in medium bowl. Press firmly into bottom of a 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes.
Filling: ½ cup butter ½ cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons corn syrup ½ cup sweetened condensed milk 1 cup chopped black walnuts
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar syrup and condensed milk. Bring to boil over medium heat. Boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Remove from heat . Stir in black walnuts and pour over cooked base.
Topping: Melt ½ to ¾ cup chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat or in microwave. Drizzle over top of filling. Chill. Cut into squares.
Rosemary Olive Walnut Pesto
½ oz fresh rosemary 1 oz fresh parsley 4 oz black olives 2 oz black walnuts 1 oz Romano cheese 1 oz olive oil
Put everything through a meat grinder, or combine the Italian way by pounding in a mortar & pestle.
Black Walnut Blondies
1½ cups flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs, beaten 1 cup black walnut pieces
Preheat oven to 375°F. Blend flour and sugars in a medium bowl, add eggs and oil to flour mixture and stir for one minute. Add walnuts and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x10" pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Top with your own butter cream icing.
Provided by SONG. Feel free to copy with a credit.