At the bottom of our land in Prekmurje in the far, far north of Slovenia is a grove of mature Walnut trees. We lost our largest Walnut tree to a freak squall two winters ago, our second largest is dying by degrees after our overzealous digger diver decided he didn't want to go around it! I shouted at him to stop but it was too late, now it drunkenly leans like a kind of arboreal Tower of Pisa.

So my once plentiful supply of walnuts is dwindling away but I love them so much and the temptation to go for a walk to check our boundaries(in particular the one with the walnut grove) became more than a temptation, especially after we received a DVD all about gleaning from some german friends who have also discovered the secrets of our corner of Slovenia.

They tell us that in Germany after certain, given and widely known and acknowledged dates that if the owners of crops haven't harvested them anyone is free do so. This seems quite anarchic but perfectly right and proper on so many levels and therefore I totally agreed with it as a philosophy.
So why did I feel so guilty as I scrambled under the fence, looking to the right, the left and up and down in a shifty, very poacherish kind of way?

Then I was off , scrabbling around as the leaf mould turned my fingers brown. It didn't take long to fill the little bucket to the brim with the damp and delicious nuggets. I felt a rush of adrenalin as I did so and all those years of christian morals fell away so easily I feared for my own morality.

But not for my stomach.......

Waldorf Salad with Wet and Wicked Walnuts serves 4 3/8

3 apples cored sliced and cut into pieces tossed in a little lemon juice to keep from browning
3 sticks of celery washed and sliced
50-60g wet walnuts shelled and if you can be bothered with the brown membrane removed
3tbs good mayonnaise
pinch of salt
twist of pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl mix well until coated with the mayonnaise.
I promise if you can use fresh walnuts in this recipe you will never go back to using dried. This is one dish that really needs no compliments from others I know it is delicious!

1 Comments | Post Feedback