Fiery and tangy fennel relish

I love fennel! And I love barbecue. Fennel relishes are high on my list for that reason. This fermented fennel relish, unlike the traditional relish flavor, is not really sweet. However, it does bring a delicious, light fruitiness if you make sure to choose a sweeter variety when you buy the lemons, such as Meyer or Amalfi lemons.

Relishes are based on the recipes for various Indian cooking sauces, which can differ considerably in terms of ingredients, consistency and taste.

Classic relishes are made from finely diced fruit or vegetables that are boiled with vinegar, spices, herbs and sugar. The consistency is like jam or more liquid. If a relish is prepared cold and fermented, the valuable ingredients of the fruit and vegetables are retained and supplemented by the probiotic lactic acid bacteria. A feast for both your taste buds and your microbiome!

How to eat fennel relish?

The spicy fruit and vegetable sauce is a great seasoning for grilled or stir-fried vegetables, meat, poultry, fish or curries. Relish is popular in the UK on sandwiches or as a savory addition to crackers. As a dip for raw vegetable platters, they bring a lightness that creamy dips made from legumes, cheese or mayonnaise lack.

This fermented fennel relish is vegan and zero waste because the whole fennel bulb including greens is processed.

Fiery fennel relish

Course: side dish, snack, starterCuisine: indianDifficulty: easy

Servings

4

Servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Fermentation time

4-6

weeks

Equipment

• 0.5 liter bail-top jar (1)

Fiery and fruity with just the right touch of lemon. A perfect complement to the barbecue!

Ingredients

• 200 grams fennel (1 large bulb)

• ½ white onion

• 4 scallions

• 1 fresh red chilli

• ½ organic lemon (the zest)

• 10 grams salt

• fennel fronds

Instructions

• Halve the fennel and cut into slightly coarser strips, onion, scallions and chili into fine rings. Chop the lemon peel and the fennel greens.

  • 

• Mix everything together and sprinkle with the the salt and leave to brine for 20-30 minutes. Fill the fermentation vessel with 3% brine if necessary and let it ferment for 4-6 weeks.

Nutrition facts

• Calories: 34kcal

Did you try this ferment?

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If you like this fennel relish, you're sure to like its fruity sibling, fruity, fermented fennel relish.

Relish is perfect for barbecues

Barbecue or BBQ, the cooking of food with fire and smoke, is one of my favorite ways to prepare hot dishes. This may be due to the special aroma or the archaic appeal of these cooking methods. It certainly has to do with the fact that barbecuing takes place outdoors and that a barbecue is always a gathering of several people, a communal event. And preparing food together and eating together simply makes me happy.