These orbs of joy! They are a fantastic product that’s very particular to British cooking. Walnuts are pickled in a brine when they’re “wet”, or green – before they form their shells. We have done it at Rochelle, and they’re great although they take a long time to make, but I think the ones you can buy in a jar in the supermarket are fantastic.
They are perfect for cutting through a rich dish. You can put them next to meats; lovely with a steak; they’re great with terrines. They love mustard, vinaigrettes, purple-sprouting broccoli. I like them in a beetroot salad; to a cold beetroot soup I might add a bit of pickled walnut liquor. Very thinly sliced and put in a ham, cheese and watercress sandwich. It’s always handy to have them in the cupboard.
When you put them in dressings, you can mince them up but I generally chop them finely because I like the texture. You get a bit of nuttiness, a bit of zing, they’re intense. I love the way they look on a plate. My husband has dyed a T-shirt with them, but it’s quite a black-looking thing.
Margot Henderson is chef/co-owner of Rochelle Canteen, London E2