It is just barely the beginning of spring and I'm already considering the end of summer! To be honest, I'm already looking forward to December at work! But hopefully this post about pickles will give you some clever ideas of what to do with your harvest!
At the end of the summer, what do you do when your garden has cramped your kitchen? Give some to neighbors and friends? What do you do when your garden has flooded their kitchens too? PICKLE!! This is a great way to preserve your vegetables!! It brings a sweet and a sour twist to your crops!!
OK, OK, I know it’s a little pre-mature to be talking about pickles; people are still considering what to plant in their gardens!! Here is a list of things that are exceptionally delicious when pickled:
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| Peppers pickled with soy sauce |
- Asparagus
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Peppers, Jalapeños
- Mushrooms
- Watermelon Rind
Before we go any further I have to say this: if you pickle your crops you’ll probably want to “can” them in mason jars. I’m not an expert, so do this at your own risk. It is a very simple process that if researched, can easily be successful! However, if you don’t do it correctly, some serious bacteria can develop and the outlook will not be good. “Can” at your own risk.
I know what you’re saying…what are pickles good for? “They serve me pickles when I get a sandwich.” “I love pickles on my hot dogs.” These are things we are all too familiar with. Pickles go far beyond that. They add that extra punch to any dish. Enjoy a sweet apple pickle with a rich apple pie to lighten it up! It is a world of its own. Pickles, if done correctly can last, what seems like, an eternity. You can enjoy the crops from your garden all year long until the next harvest! They also make great gifts and create fantastic conversation among fellow gardeners.
A basic pickle recipe contains vinegar, water, and sugar; but this basic recipe sucks! We’re trying to create a masterpiece here. Pickling is an art. For the asparagus, grill some corn. Chill it. Cut it in to spears and pickle it all together. Everyone knows grilled asparagus is terrific. Everyone knows grilled corn is even better. So combine the asparagus with the grilled corn and you have a match made in heaven. Tomatoes and basil. Cucumbers and dill. Jalapeños with shallots and carrots. Make your own giardiniera. The possibilities are really quite endless. Just be thoughtful with your choice and you will be on a highway to success!
Other common pickle flavors:
1. Coriander
2. Anise Seed
3. Red Pepper Flake
4. Lavender
5. Lemongrass
6. Jalapeño
7. Juniper
8. Clove
9. Allspice
10. Ginger
The flavors above are like colors to an artist. What does your painted picture taste like? Now, not only do we have a choice of what crops to pickle, but we also have choices among vinegars.
1. Distilled
2. Apple Cider
3. Balsamic
4. White Balsamic
5. Champagne
6. Rice Wine
And the list COULD continue. Any combination of vinegars, flavors, and key ingredients will have your options endless. So we’ve talked flavor. We’ve talked vinegar. Now, water. Water is all relative to the amount of acidity in your pickle. This can be best described like this: “If you eat your pickle, you cough, and you don’t like it: add more water.” If you eat your pickle and think, “It’s kind of like a dead-fish-hand-shake, take away water.” So the ratio you use really comes down to personal preference. That is the best part of cooking for yourself! I’ll share my ratio to get you started. This recipe is battle test proven in the kitchen with my good friend Brian Motoyka. This is a very mild pickle recipe, a great balance of sweet AND tart:
- 2TBsp coriander
- 5-6 pieces star anise, whole
- 1 stick lemon grass, chopped
- ½ jalapeño, seeded
- 1piece ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1/4c sugar
- 4c ricewine vinegar
- ¾-1c water
Combine all of your dry ingredients in a warm saucepot. Toast them to bring out some natural oils (this will allow the ingredients to do most of the work for you by releasing their maximum flavors). Add sugar, vinegar, and water. Bring to a boil, then let steep for 10-15 minutes.
This is your pickle liquid. Pour over your asparagus, mushrooms, or whatever. I like to let it cool and reach room temp before placing in the cooler. If you are canning, you can do so once you pour the liquid over your magical ingredient.
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