I adore the scent and tang of pink peppercorns. I can distinctly remember the first time I tasted them in a sauce in Frederick’s Restaurant in Islington, nearly thirty years ago. These little berries of the South African baies rose plant aren’t related to peppercorns at all. Their flavour is very complex, both aromatic and sweet, and though I can’t find them listed at the Umami Information Centre, I’m certain they have a high umami level. I’ve used them in everything from panacotta’s to venison stew, and their scent and flavour profile are immediate identifiable… Here I wanted to enliven a warm green salad with a spicy little dressing, but not overwhelm the flavour of the veggies in the way, say, chilli might. The crushed peppercorns were a vibrant addition to the salad.
Ingredients:
100g of mixed green salad
200g of green vegetables (I used broccoli, and asparagus)
1 small shallots, finely diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 little olive oil
For the salad dressing:
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons pink peppercorns, crushed in a pestle and mortar
1 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Fry the shallots, cumin and garlic in a little olive oil
Prepare and cook your vegetables (c’mon, you don’t need me to tell you how to cook broccoli!)
Crush the peppercorns, and then incorporate the remaining vinaigrette ingredients
Toss all of salad, vegetables and dressing together in a bowl
Et voila! Welcome to the wonderful world of pink peppercorns… Now you can use them to infuse cream for a panna cotta, to impart flavour to white chocolate, in marinades for meat, even in cocktails – a pink peppercorn martini anyone?
