Courtesy Jordan Champagne, co-owner, Happy Girl Kitchen Co., Pacific Grove
This is a simple recipe for making pickles that can really open up to you the world of preserving your own food. It is amazingly practical and easy. You can make this crunchy pickle out of all the extra veg- gies left from your CSA box that you weren’t sure what to do with or couldn’t quite use up—thus the name. This recipe also works to rescue the vegetables that you have left in your fridge before you go on vacation. You can simply make them into quick pickles and then return home to deliciously flavored vegetables.
This “recipe” isn’t even really a recipe; rather, it is more a con- cept. It is a way to make a jar or two of quick pickles from whatever vegetables you choose. Depending on the vegetables and the spices you choose, your pickles will turn out differently. And since you are going to be making such small batches, you can feel free to experi- ment without huge consequences.
If you use a very dense vegetable like a beet or carrot, keep in mind that they will be very firm even after pickling because you are using them raw. In these cases, you may want to slice them very thinly in small sticks. This is a great way to make very crunchy green bean or cucumber pickles.
Vegetables of your choice, chopped as you wish
Spices, herbs and/or edible flowers of your choice, about 1 tea- spoon per pint jar
Brine, about 1 cup per pint jar
1 cup vinegar
11⁄2 cups water
11⁄2 teaspoons sea salt
Put whichever spices, herbs or edible flowers you prefer into the jar. It is great to use 1 heaping teaspoon of pickling spice, or you can get very adventurous. One of my favorite spices is cumin, so I use 1 tea- spoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and chili flakes. Co- riander is also a great pickling spice. You can add any kind of chili to make it spicy.
Next, pack your vegetables into the jar, trying to fit in as many as you can, keeping an eye toward beauty. Pack as many jars as you have vegetables for.
Lastly, heat the brine. Pour over your vegetables to fill the jar and put your lid on tightly. Heated brine helps infuse the vegetables with flavor faster, but it is not necessary if you would prefer to leave everything raw. Put the jar in the fridge whenever you like—let it cool first if you prefer.
Voilà! That is it. You made pickles!
Your pickles will be ready in one to four weeks, depending on how long you want to wait, and will keep for three months. Go ahead and taste them as you become curious. The beauty of refrigerator pickles is that they are always safe because they are not kept out on the shelf and can be eaten with great joy whenever you wish!
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
