Name: Pea and horseradish dip with pickled ginger
Ingredients: 400g frozen peas, defrosted; 2½ tbsp olive oil; 2 banana shallots (80g), peeled and finely chopped; 1 tbsp thyme leaves, roughly chopped; 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; salt and black pepper; 1 tsp sherry vinegar, or white-wine vinegar; 100g soft goat’s cheese; 20ml lemon juice (ie, from 1 lemon); 2 tsp fresh horseradish, finely grated, plus extra for garnishing; 4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced at an angle; 5g mint leaves, roughly chopped (about 2¾ tbsp); 50g fresh ginger, peeled; 1½ tsp finely grated lemon zest; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 60ml white-wine vinegar; 30g caster sugar

Pea and horseradish dip with pickled ginger

Dips and dressings Spring

Serves 4 as part of a mezze

Prep 10 min

Cook 1 hr 15 min

Serve this with some crudités or crackers. These quantities will make more pickled ginger than you need here; store the excess in an airtight container in the fridge, ready to serve with rice or steamed fish.

Follow the full recipe

Ingredients

400g	frozen peas, defrosted
2½ tbsp	olive oil
2	banana shallots (80g), peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp	thyme leaves, roughly chopped
3	garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
	salt and black pepper
1 tsp	sherry vinegar, or white-wine vinegar
100g	soft goat’s cheese
20ml	lemon juice (ie, from 1 lemon)
2 tsp	fresh horseradish, finely grated, plus extra for garnishing
4	spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced at an angle
5g	mint leaves, roughly chopped (about 2¾ tbsp)
FOR THE PICKLED GINGER
50g	fresh ginger, peeled
1½ tsp	finely grated lemon zest
3	sprigs fresh thyme
60ml	white-wine vinegar
30g	caster sugar

Method

First, pickle the ginger. Thinly slice the ginger (use a mandoline, if you have one), then stack and cut into thin strips. Put these in a small saucepan with 250ml cold water and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Leave to bubble for three minutes, then drain, discarding the water. Put the blanched ginger in a sterilised, heatproof jar and add the lemon zest and thyme. Pour the vinegar and sugar into the same pan, bring to a boil, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, then pour straight into the ginger jar. Set aside to cool, then screw on the lid and refrigerate.
Now for the dip. Put the oil in a small, nonstick saute pan on a medium-high heat, then add the shallots and saute, stirring occasionally, for five minutes, until softened. Stir in the thyme, garlic, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook for three to five minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the peas and sherry vinegar, then take off the heat and leave to cool.
Tip the mix into a food processor, add the cheese, horseradish, lemon juice and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and pulse to a coarse paste. Transfer to a bowl (or plastic container, if you’re packing it up for a picnic).
Put two tablespoons of the pickled ginger and a tablespoon of the pickling liquor in a small bowl, and stir in the spring onions, mint, remaining teaspoon and a half of oil and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Spoon this over the pea dip, grate some fresh horseradish on top and serve at room temperature.