Edible flowers, such as rose, calendula and peony, can make delicious flower peppers. You can grind the petals and peppercorns in a grinder for a fine consistency, or with a pestle and mortar for a coarser one. The latter crushes the peppercorns but leaves the flower petals more intact.
There aren’t many rules for flower pepper, but rose, calendula, hibiscus, peony, jasmine, pansy and violet all work well with sweeter dishes, while herb blossoms such as chives, thyme, basil can work well for savoury. Lavender can be a nice addition in moderation.
Ingredients (makes 15g)
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 tablespoons dried flower petals
Method
To dry flower petals, arrange in a single layer on a lined baking tray and set aside for a week or two, until completely dry. Toss with your fingertips every other day. If you attempt to oven-dry, even at low temperature, you run the risk of losing all the vibrant colour in the petals. Dried petals will keep in an airtight container for months.
To create the flower pepper, combine the peppercorns and dried petals in a dedicated pepper grinder, or grind using a pestle and mortar. You can use a single type of petal or a blend. Grind as you need it.
Recipe taken from Near & Far, by Heidi Swanson (Hardie Grant, £20).
