Aboriginal Tasmanian Pepper

What is Tasmanian pepper?

Tasmanian pepper is the fruit of the Tasmania lanceolata shrub. Although called a "shrub", this pepper tree can still reach 5 meters in height. It is mostly found in southern Australia, in the lower mountainous regions at the level of the Tasman Sea.

This shrub of the winteriaceae family has a dark green foliage with oblong leaves ? The Tasmanian pepper berries are found inside the fruits of the shrub which are distinguished by their dark purple color and the size of a small pea.

David Vanille's choice: I have chosen to offer you this pepper, which is still little known for its exceptional fruity aromas. A rare and powerful pepper, native of Australia, which has its place in your kitchen.

The harvest of the Tasmanian pepper

Tasmania lanceolata is a variety of wild pepper. Tasmanian pepper is harvested by hand. Once picked, the pepper berries are dried. They keep their beautiful purple color and crumble.

Generally, the average size of a Tasmanian pepper berry is between 4 and 5 mm, however, some berries can be around 9 to 10 mm, and are called "extra bold" to mark their rarity.

The differences between real pepper and fake pepper

Tasmanian pepper is what we call a " false pepper ". In fact, what differentiates a fake pepper from a real pepper is the way the berries are placed on the tree. The real pepper grows in a vine while the fake pepper grows inside the fruit of a tree or shrub.

The origins of Tasmanian pepper

Tasmanian pepper is native to the Australian bush. It was used by the Aborigines. The Tasmania lanceolata was a variety very appreciated by this people. The berries, the leaves, but also the bark, were either consumed or used for its medicinal virtues.

In 1803, the English colonized the island of Tasmania and it was Robert Brown, botanist and explorer, who discovered this shrub. He decided to bring it back to English Cornwall in 1805.

Tasmanian pepper today

The Tasmanian pepper is a rare pepper, moreover the global production of this pepper is 5 tons per year.

How to use Tasmanian pepper in cooking?

Tasmanian pepper is an essential part of Australian Aboriginal cuisine and of "Bushfood", a contemporary version of Aboriginal cuisine. In Australia, it is used to flavor kangaroo steak, emu steak or ostrich meat.

This pepper goes very well with aromatic herbs or Timut pepper. Game, red meat, white meat, poultry, but also fish ... this pepper is used daily. It is excellent for flavoring a white fish papillote or a tuna or beef tartar.

Our recipe ideas with Tasmanian pepper

Would you like to discover the spiciness and fruity taste of Tasmanian pepper? I suggest a 3 course menu where this rare pepper from Australia is honored.

The starter: Summer salad with chicken

A light starter that can also be eaten as a main course. Here, Tasmanian pepper adds a little pep to the grilled chicken. Clean a lettuce and keep the core. Cut some peppers into thin strips. Grate a carrot. Make a salad dressing with oil, Tasmanian pepper and basil. Grill a chicken fillet and season with Australian pepper. Slice your chicken fillet, arrange your plate: salad, chicken, vegetables and top with flavoured olive oil sauce.

The dish: Spicy beef tartar

Red meat lovers will appreciate this tartar with a knife! Order a nice piece of beef from your butcher. Take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cutting it with a knife. Add salt and pepper with a few turns of the Tasmanian pepper mill. Add tabasco, capers, an egg yolk and a little mustard. Mix your tartar. Serve with fresh fries.

Dessert: Yellow Fruit Salad

The fruit salad is here in a slightly spicy "sunny" version. Clean and cut yellow fruits: peaches, nectarines, pineapples, mangoes, apricots... Make a fruit syrup by collecting the juice of the cooked fruits (peaches, nectarines, pineapples) and straining them. Reduce the juice with cane sugar. Drizzle over your fruit salad and season with pepper.

How to store Tasmanian pepper?

Pepper berries should be kept dry. Choose an airtight jar to store your Tasmanian pepper berries and store them away from light.