Quick Pickled Garden Vegetables

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Two clean quart jars with lids (or one half-gallon jar)
• •Small saucepan
• •Small dry skillet for toasting spices

Instructions

1. 1

   Select and prepare vegetables

   Choose vegetables that are firm, unblemished, and freshly picked if possible. The aliveness of the vegetable matters here. A tired cucumber will never become a crisp pickle. Wash everything well and trim ends. Cut into pieces that will fit your jars and look inviting on a plate: spears, coins, florets, or whole if small enough. Aim for similar thickness so everything pickles at the same rate.

   Taste a piece of each vegetable raw. If it does not taste good now, pickling will not improve it.
2. 2

   Toast the spices

   Place the peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and fennel seeds (if using) in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan gently until the spices become fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop, about two minutes. This brief toasting releases oils and deepens flavor. Remove from heat immediately.

3. 3

   Warm the brine

   Combine the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a small saucepan. Set over medium heat and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely, about three minutes. The brine should be warm but not boiling. You want to dissolve the salt, not cook the liquid. Remove from heat.

   Taste your brine. It should be pleasantly tangy and well seasoned. Adjust salt now if needed.
4. 4

   Layer jars with aromatics

   Distribute the smashed garlic, toasted spices, dill sprigs, bay leaves, and dried chile (if using) between two clean quart jars or one half-gallon jar. These aromatics will infuse the brine and perfume the vegetables as they sit.

5. 5

   Pack vegetables tightly

   Pack the prepared vegetables into the jars, fitting them snugly but without crushing. Tuck sliced red onion throughout for color and flavor. Leave about half an inch of headspace at the top. The vegetables should be packed firmly enough that they will not float above the brine.

6. 6

   Pour brine and submerge

   Pour the warm brine over the vegetables, filling each jar until the liquid covers everything by at least a quarter inch. Use a chopstick or butter knife to release any air bubbles trapped between vegetables. If anything floats above the brine, weigh it down with a small dish or a piece of parchment paper pressed against the surface.

   Vegetables exposed to air will not pickle properly and may discolor. Everything must stay submerged.
7. 7

   Cool and refrigerate

   Let the jars sit at room temperature until the brine cools completely, about one hour. Then seal with lids and refrigerate. The pickles are ready to eat after one hour but improve significantly after twenty four hours. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, becoming more deeply flavored as days pass.

Chef Tips

• •Visit your farmers market with an open mind. The best pickles come from whatever looks most alive that morning, not from a predetermined shopping list.
• •Save the pickle brine after the vegetables are gone. It makes an excellent base for salad dressings, marinades, or the next batch of quick pickles.
• •For the crispest pickles, choose smaller, younger vegetables. Overgrown cucumbers and mature green beans turn soft no matter what you do.
• •Add a fresh grape leaf, oak leaf, or horseradish leaf to the jar. The tannins help vegetables stay crisp. This is an old trick worth knowing.
• •In winter, turn to root vegetables: turnips, beets, carrots, and parsnips all pickle beautifully. The technique stays the same even as the seasons change.

Advance Preparation

• •Pickles reach peak flavor after 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator and keep for up to 3 weeks.
• •The brine can be made up to a week ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Rewarm gently before using.
• •Pack jars the night before a picnic; they will be perfectly pickled by afternoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 105g)