Name: Cashew dip with spiced carrot and apricot pickle
Ingredients: 300ml apple cider vinegar; 40g caster sugar; 2 tbsp fine sea salt; 300g carrot, peeled and very thinly sliced, ideally on a mandolin; 1 red chilli, seeds removed and thinly sliced; 100g dried apricots, roughly chopped; 8 cardamom pods, cracked open; 2 tsp coriander seeds; 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds; 300g raw unsalted cashews; 20g capers, plus 1 tbsp caper brine; 30g coriander leaves, plus 5g extra to serve; 30g parsley leaves; 50ml olive oil; 1 tsp fine sea salt

Serves 4

Prep 10 min

Cook 15 min

A pickleback is a shot of whiskey, followed by a shot of pickle brine, and it is a delight for pickle lovers. This spiced apricot and carrot brine turns into a kombucha-like drink that is perfect for a New Years Eve pickleback. It can be eaten (and drunk) straight away but is even better once it’s had a week for the flavours to merge into the brine. You’ll need a glass jar or heatproof container that holds about 1 litre. If you don’t have a powerful blender, soak the cashews in boiling water for an hour to help soften them.

Ingredients

PICKLE
300ml	apple cider vinegar
40g	caster sugar
2 tbsp	fine sea salt
300g	carrot, peeled and very thinly sliced, ideally on a mandolin
1	red chilli, seeds removed and thinly sliced
100g	dried apricots, roughly chopped
8	cardamom pods, cracked open
2 tsp	coriander seeds
2 tsp	yellow mustard seeds
CASHEW DIP
300g	raw unsalted cashews
20g	capers, plus 1 tbsp caper brine
30g	coriander leaves, plus 5g extra to serve
30g	parsley leaves
50ml	olive oil
1 tsp	fine sea salt

Method

In a small pot, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt and 200 millilitres of water to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Add the carrot, chili, apricots, cardamom, coriander and mustard seeds to a clean glass jar and pour over the pickle brine. Set aside to cool.
To make the dip, add the cashews, capers and brine, coriander, parsley, olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt to a blender with 100 millilitres of water and 1½ tablespoons of the pickle juice. Blend until smooth.
To serve, spread the cashew dip over a serving plate, spoon over the pickles and finish with the reserved coriander leaves.