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Green Peppercorns
Appears in
Published 2008
These are the unripe juicy green berries produced by the vine after the flowers have faded.
The berries, or corns, grow in densely packed spikes and are harvested while still immature but close to reaching full size. At this stage the fragrant oils in the outer shell and the pungency of the seed are not as fully developed as they would be in a mature berry. The flavour is therefore fresh and ‘green’ and only mildly hot.
If left untreated and exposed to the atmosphere, the berries turn black within a few hours of harvesting – a reaction caused by the enzyme in the outer husk. To prevent blackening, the berries are either soaked and packed in brine, or immersed in boiling water for 15–20 minutes. Nowadays, boiling water is the preferred method since it destroys the enzyme without the problem of a residual briny flavour. After boiling, the berries are laid out to dry in the sun. They remain green but the brightness gradually fades as they dry.