Nocino Food

NOCINO

Steps:

• Using a chef's knife or cleaver, quarter each walnut. (Use caution, as the husks are tough to cut through. I press a cleaver gently into the skin, then, holding my hands far away from the blade, crack the nut in half on a cutting board.)
• Put the quartered walnuts in a large glass container along with the cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest, and sugar. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the container, then drop in the pod. Add the vodka. Cover and let stand 6 to 8 weeks at room temperature, agitating the container daily.
• When ready to bottle, using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the walnuts and remove the vanilla pod (it can be rinsed, dried, and used for another purpose; see page 14). Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth or a coffee filter, then funnel the nocino into clean bottles and cork tightly.
• Nocino will keep for several years stored in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator.
• To make NOCINO CUSTARDS , in a medium saucepan, warm 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream, 1 cup (250 ml) half-and-half, and 9 tablespoons (135 g) sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar; remove from the heat. In a medium bowl, whisk 6 large egg yolks, then gradually whisk in the warmed cream mixture along with 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a large measuring cup, then stir in 1/2 cup (125 ml) nocino. Divide the mixture among eight 4- to 6-ounce (125- to 180-ml) ramekins or custard cups set in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven until the custards are just barely set, about 30 minutes.

NOCINO

Steps:

• 1. Quarter the walnuts and place them in a large glass jar, at least 3-quart capacity. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Don't worry that the sugar won't immediately dissolve. Seal the jar, and place it in a sunny place for 40 days. The liquid will first turn a sinister green, then black. Once every 10 days, agitate the jar by inverting it a time or two. You can taste the alcohol at any stage and add more aromatics if you like.
• 2. After 40 days, strain the contents of the jar through a damp jelly bag and catch the liquids in a bowl. Funnel the liqueur into scalded bottles, and seal. Store in a cool, dark place for several months; Lanza suggests opening them on All Saints' Day. Before serving, you may want to strain the liqueur through a coffee filter to remove sediments, but it isn't necessary to do so. The liqueur will keep indefinitely without refrigeration.