Fermented Fresco® Baby Cucumbers
1.75 lbs Fresco® Baby Cucumbers
2 cups water
2 tbsp Kosher salt
8-12 garlic cloves, sliced
4 sprigs fresh dill
100ml pickling spices
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 1 tbsp clove
- 1 tsp chilis (optional)
Pickled Cabbage and Crescendo® Sweet Pointed Peppers
1/2 head red cabbage
4 Crescendo® Sweet Pointed Peppers
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
Pork Delicato® Butter Lettuce Wraps
1 head Delicato® Butter Lettuce
2 cups jasmine rice, cooked
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 onion, diced
Salt, to taste
1 lb ground pork
1 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of white pepper
1 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp sriracha, optional
1 lime
Pickled Cabbage and Crescendo® Sweet Pointed Peppers.
Fermented Fresco® Baby Cucumbers
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Living Organic Basil (Optional)
Succulent pork topped with pickled cabbage and Crescendo® Sweet Pointed Peppers and Fermented Fresco® Baby Cucumbers, all wrapped up in a buttery soft leaf of Delicato® Butter Lettuce. It doesn’t get more flavorful than this!
Instructions
Fermented Fresco® Baby Cucumbers
- Rinse the Fresco® Baby Cucumbers and layer in a clean 1L jar. Add garlic and fresh dill.
- To make the salt brine, warm up 2 cups of water on the stove, add salt and pickling spices. Stir until all the salt is dissolved.
- Pour the saltwater brine over top of the cucumbers, leaving an inch of room at the top.
- Weigh down the cucumbers if need be, so they are submerged under the brine. (Use a small Ziplock bag with a little water in it)
- Place a lid on the jar, loosely tightened. Place in a pan or bowl to collect any overflow and leave it in a cool dark place for 3-7 days (a basement, or lower kitchen cupboard).
- After 2 days, check for bubbles and clouding by tapping the jar to see if tiny bubbles rise to the top. The longer the fermentation time the tangier and softer the pickles will become. Executive Chef Trevor Bird usually lets the pickles ferment for 5 days.
- When you see the pickles and brine begin to bubble place the pickles in the fridge, they will continue to ferment, but much slower. Make sure you keep the pickles submerged.
- Give them a taste! If you like a fizzy brine, tighten the lid, burping every week or so. If you’re happy with the taste, give the lid one loose twist, so it’s secure, but gas can still escape.
- Enjoy!
Pickled Cabbage and Crescendo® Sweet Pointed Peppers
- Slice the red cabbage on a mandolin or shave very finely.
- Slice Crescendo® Sweet Pointed Peppers into 1/4″ thick rings.
- Bring sugar and rice wine vinegar to a boil, pour hot liquid over cabbage, let cool.
- Season with salt.
- It will stay good for a month in the fridge.
Pork Delicato® Butter Lettuce Wraps
- Cook rice according to packet instructions.
- In a frying pan heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add onion and a sprinkle of salt, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until translucent
- Add ground pork to pan with onions, sear the pork and add in ground ginger.
- When meat has begun to brown add white pepper and 2 tbsp of hoisin, mix in and cook everything together. To finish the meat, add sesame seeds.
- Slice pre-prepared fermented pickles and remove pickled cabbage and peppers from brining, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, make the sauce by mixing hoisin, mayonnaise and sriracha (optional).
- Place 1.5 tbsp of rice in the lettuce, 1.5 tbsp of pork, as much sauce as you like, top with Fermented Fresco® Baby Cucumbers, and Pickled Cabbage and Crescendo® Sweet Pointed Peppers. Option to add fresh mint and Living Organic Basil leaves. Enjoy!
Recipe Created By
Owner, Chef of Fable Kitchen, Vancouver BC
