Recipe #12
Green Pea Dip

When vegetables are lacto-fermented the bacteria consume sugar and generate lactic acid that sour the vegetables and preserve them at the same time. I will explain these processes a little further but if you want to learn more and dive in deeper right away I dearly recommend you to have a look at the work of David Zilber, Sandor Katz & Kirsten K. Shokey

Beginning with my all-time-favorite snack from childhood, a very simple, healthy and delightful one-pickled cucumbers. A tongue-tingling mix of sweet, salty, sour and crispy. 

All you need are fresh pickling cucumbers, a 5% salt brine (for cucumbers the percentage of salt is higher than in other ferments), garlic, dill weed, bay leaves, pepper corns and coriander seed. I always try to use grape leaves for the base and top of the cucumbers. The leaves release tannins that will keep the cucumbers crispy and crunchy. 

Using a good ratio of salt in fermentation encourages the growth of healthy bacteria. You’ll need a little more salt for the cucumbers—a 5 % brine (instead of the usual 2-3 %). In the beginning I’d always measure the salt, at least the first time, since the different types of salt won’t have the same weight on a tablespoon.

INGREDIENTS

2 kg fresh green peas with pod (or 700 g of frozen peas)

black pepper

2 garlic cloves

red onion

2 tablespoons native olive oil

a pinch of sea salt

a pinch of brown sugar

mint leaves

fresh lemon juice

red rubin basil 

PREPARATION

1. Remove the stem of the peas with a knife, open the pod and gently take the peas out with your hands. 

2. Bring water to simmer and blanch the peas for 2 minutes. 

3. Fry onions until glazy and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar.

4. Add garlic, basil and mint.

5. Then add the pealed peas to the pot, stir, taste, add salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice and a little more olive oil to it.

6. Put in blender and mix.

Enjoy!