Home

Pickled Samphire goes well with some sandwiches and cold meats.

1. Soak 500 g (1 lb) washed samphire sprigs in brine for 24 hours (add 50g or 2 oz salt).

2. Rinse them well and boil them in pickling vinegar for seven to ten minutes.

3. Keep the samphire tightly sealed with the vinegar for three weeks before eating it.

to make homemade spicing vinegar

1. Add to 1 litre of vinegar, 5-10g of each of the following whole spices: cloves, allspice, cinnamon, white peppercorns, ginger. The smaller quantity will be enough for a mild pickle but for strongly flavoured ones such as onion, the full quantity may be used.

2. Put the spices in a folded cloth and beat them lightly with a rolling-pin to release their flavour.

3. Put the bruised spices into the vinegar and seal the bottle.

4. It may be more convenient to add a double or treble quantity of spices and dilute later with more vinegar, but label the container accordingly if this is done.

5. If time allows, leave the spices in the well-sealed bottle of vinegar for 2 months, shaking daily for the first month.

6. Strain out the spices carefully and re-bottle the vinegar.

to make quick spicing vinegar

1. Place the spices and vinegar in a heatproof bowl and cover with a plate.

2. Stand the bowl in a saucepan of cold water, bring the water gently to the boil and draw the pan off the heat.

3. Leave for 2 hours, taking care not to move the plate or flavour will be lost.

4. Strain the vinegar and, if not required immediately, return to the bottle and seal.

0 comments Heading: Comments: Name:

more information

See the food glossary for information on recipe ingredients and food-related terms, and for help on using cooking measurements, see the measurements page.