Pickled vegetables, an age-old tradition, are a vibrant, zesty delight in the culinary world. They serve as a crunchy, tangy sidekick to many dishes, adding a burst of flavor that invigorates the palate.
Whether it’s the classic pickle, fiery kimchi, or a jar of tangy sauerkraut, these preserved treats are as versatile and delicious as they are healthy. Pickled vegetables are a storehouse of probiotics and a host of other nutrients.
Here’s an amazing pickled vegetables recipe from the legendary Food Network. It’s by the culinary wizard Ted Allen from his cookbook, In My Kitchen. According to Ted, you can pickle just about anything!
So, if you can handle boiling water and a knife, you’re already halfway there. It’s basically like a hot, briny, liquid hug for your sliced vegetables.
Pickled vegetables: Tangy delights ready in a flash!
All you need is hot brine with some garlic cloves, white wine vinegar, and kosher salt. Throw in a few fresh herbs, black peppercorns, and fresh vegetables in a mason jar, and that’s all you need.
Kirby cucumbers, young spring carrots, scallions, green beans, and cauliflower florets work best for this recipe. Finish them with a touch of heat from jalapenos.
Bathe these “pickle vegetables” in the prepared hot pickling liquid, and let them cool to room temperature. Within a few hours, you’ll have some seriously tempting, super-quick pickled vegetables.
What’s more, they only get better with time. Give it a couple of days, and your taste buds will thank you like never before!
The best part? You can keep this homemade giardiniera for up to three months! These pickled veggies are perfect for snacking, adding to sandwiches, or spicing up your salads.
PICKLED VEGETABLES
Equipment
- 2 Clear 1-quart jars with lids
- Knives
- Chopping board
- Saucepan
- Tongs (optional)
Ingredients
- 10 nos. garlic cloves (peeled)
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 6 tsp kosher salt
- 8 nos. fresh dill sprigs
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp pink peppercorns optional
- 6 nos. Kirby cucumbers (quartered lengthwise)
- 6 nos. spring carrots (young carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise)
- 4 ounces large scallion pieces or green beans
- Cauliflower florets as many as you can fit along with other veggies
- 2 nos. Jalapeno
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Reduce the heat so the water simmers, and add the garlic.
- Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the vinegar and salt, raise the heat, and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt dissolves.
- Remove from the heat.
- In 2 clear 1-quart jars, place a few sprigs of dill.
- Divide the celery seeds and peppercorns between the jars.
- Using tongs, remove the garlic from the brine and place 5 cloves in each jar.
- Then pack the jars full of cucumbers, carrots, scallions or green beans, cauliflower, and chiles.
- Bring the brine back to a boil.
- Pour it over the vegetables to cover completely.
- Let cool, then cover and refrigerate.
- The pickles will taste good in just a few hours and better after a couple of days.
- You can store this for about 3 months.
Notes
- For a satisfying crunch, make sure your veggies are fresh and firm. Overripe cucumbers and limp carrots might not give you the best results.
- Add some crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- You may substitute 4 small hot red chiles for 2 jalapenos.
- Once you finish the pickles, don’t toss the brine! It makes an excellent addition to salad dressings, marinades, or even a tangy addition to a stir-fry.
- Average refrigerator pickles last about three to four months. Store them carefully, though.
- You can also add other types of vinegar, like apple cider vinegar, to give your pickles a unique flavor.
- Experiment with the pickling. Italian pickled vegetables are amazing for Italian-style sandwiches, while dill pickles can add crunch and flavor to burgers.
- Eat these pickled veggies with a platter of mussels (use this recipe), oysters or any middle eastern dishes.
- You can also try adding other spices like mustard seeds, bay leaves, dill seeds, fennel seeds, and other fresh herbs and spices.