Vegan. gluten free, sugar free
A BIT OF BACKGROUND:
Most traditional cultures around the world have evolved with some type of fermented food being eaten at the every meal. However, this can take some time to master the art of fermentation/pickling and quite often we just don’t feel we have the time to invest in learning this amazing tradition, so we go without. If this is you, never fear! Here is a super quick and easy cucumber and fennel pickle, which although isn’t made in the same traditional ways as our ancestors did it, it is still filled with beneficial bacteria and probiotics for digestion and is filled with a vibrant, fresh zing to accompany any summer meal.
INGREDIENTS:
About ½ kg x fresh Lebanese cucumber – finely sliced
1 x fresh fennel bulb (with stalks and tips) – finely sliced
½ x small red onion (finely diced & soaked in cold water for 5 minutes)
Enough sea salt to lightly season & coat for mix
½ tsp x freshly cracked black or white pepper
A little squeeze x fresh lemon or lime juice
Enough raw apple cider vinegar to lightly coat your mix
HOW TO MAKE:
- Slice the cucumber and all of the fennel finely through a food processor or mandoline.
- Strain the water of your finely diced onion and mix with the cucumber/fennel mix.
- Gently mix around while sprinkling the sea salt to coat the mix evenly. Taste to ensure it is salty enough for your liking. It should have a slightly over salty taste at this point. Add more if needed.
- Now add the vinegar in the same fashion while mixing around evenly. Taste to see if the vinegar taste is to your liking. There should be a nice balance between salt and vinegar. If it tastes too salty, add a little more vinegar. Likewise, if it’s too vinegary, add a little more sea salt.
- Once you’ve found your balance and taste preference, add your pepper and a squeeze of citrus.
TO SERVE:
Serve as a side with heavy, starchy vegetables, curried and roasted meals.
TO STORE:
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. On serving, add some fresh lemon juice to reinvigorate the taste!
Enjoy!
About The Chef:
Simon Favorito: Executive Chef and Head of Wholefood Education
Simon Favorito comes from a lineage of wholefood chefs & has spent over half his life helping people to discover the magic of wholefood medicine through the culinary arts as a chef, a natural health practitioner, coach & teacher.
Simon offers conscious event catering, educational courses and personalized coaching that combine natural health principles, wholistic nutritional, modern psychology, traditional & contemporary food philosophy to help individuals create their own life changing food culture.
You can find Si cooking and teaching at Billabong Retreat every week Wednesday to Friday. For information on Wholefoods medicine, recipes, workshops and courses, be sure to visit Simon’s Facebook page: Your Conscious Kitchen. or his Instagram Page