#pickling

#pickling

Start by slicing carrots (the thinner or smaller the pieces, the quicker they'll ferment), then make a brine by mixing 35g rock or sea salt (don't use table salt) with a litre of water (tap is fine, filtered is better), and making sure the salt dissolves. You can then go as fancy or simple as you like: Drop in some peppercorns, allspice berries, coriander seeds, fennel seeds or anything else you think might go, bring the brine mix up to a simmer, then take off the heat and leave to infuse and cool to room temperature.

When we think of a pickle, 99% of the time we conjure an image of a brined cucumber. But the technique of pickling is a dark horse in the kitchen, a method to bring new flavors and textures into otherwise one-note foods. Fruits can pop with sweet and sour complexity, overlooked vegetables can transform into crunchy snack heroes and proteins can take on another level of umami-packed flavor. Pickling isn't just preservation - it's creativity in a jar.

Adding tea leaves to the pickling liquid maximizes the crunch factor of homemade pickles by containing tannins that inhibit enzymes causing cucumbers to soften.

These Pickled Sugar Snap Peas combine a light brine with rice vinegar for a clean flavor, perfect for snacking or adding to salads.