IN his recent country diary, Ken Harrison wrote about picked walnuts. This prompted an inquiry from a reader and Ken has responded with his recipe...

Always use good fresh vegetables. Use pure malt vinegar. Cover well with vinegar. Never use copper brass or iron pans. It is essential to put vegetables in brine before covering with vinegar and you need to find a brine recipe. You should always boil vinegar before using it, even if you have to allow it to cool.

Pickled Walnuts (cooking time: 15 minutes to spice vinegar)

1: Be certain the nuts are not overripe. They should be still green.

2: Prick deeply with a silver fork in at least three places.

3: Soak in wet brine for at least three days.

4: Remove brine and place on tray or a cloth in the sun and move occasionally.

5: They will turn black slowly over the course of two or three days.

6: When quite black put into wide necked jars (coffee jars are perfect) and cover with cold spiced vinegar.

7: Fasten down and leave for at least a month before use.

All the old-fashioned recipe books have recipes like this; Mrs Beeton is about the best.

Updated: 09:28 Wednesday, October 09, 2002