Get Caught in a Pickle!

Learn how to make a variety of perfect pickles in this month's class.

The end of summer brings the beginning of canning season. Fruits and vegetables are harvested and many of us try to preserve the seasons bounty by canning or pickling. I don’t happen to be one of those "canners" but I wanted to experiment with creating a delicious pickle that could be made easily and without breaking out the canning equipment.

To Can or Not to Can:

If you want your pickles to last longer than a couple of months you will want to can them for year-round enjoyment. By canning the pickles, you will destroy troublesome organisms and prevent possible harmful bacterial contamination. Make sure to label and date your canned pickles and store them in a dark, dry, cool place.

Choosing the Right Cucumbers & Vegetables:

For the best tasting pickled product make sure that your vegetables are very fresh and firm. It’s also nice to consider the contrasting colors of the final pickled product. Consider trying something different like the Hot Jamaican Pickles. This recipe uses a combination of cauliflower, bell peppers, and carrots for the base vegetables. Not only does this pickled combination taste wonderful but the color contrast is quite beautiful.

Choosing the Right Salt:

Use canning salt or kosher salt. Iodized table salt can cause the pickles to darken or may cause the pickling brine cloudy. Be careful not to add too much or too little salt. Too much could cause the pickles to shrivel and too little could result in soft or slippery pickles.

Cider Vinegar vs. Distilled White Vinegar:

Use a high grade vinegar of 4-6 percent acid (40-60 grain). You can use either distilled white vinegar (the gluten protein does not make it through the distillation process) or apple cider vinegar. I actually prefer using cider vinegar because I prefer the taste and it adds a nice color to the finished product. Never dilute the vinegar solution - instead to make it less sour, add sugar.

Build Your Own Pickle

Have some fun and experiment with different variations of flavor by adding a variety of spices, herbs and vegetables. Here are some ideas to add a little zing to your next batch of pickles:

Fresh Herbs:

• Dill
• Fennel fronds
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Bay leaves

Spices:

• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Fennel seeds
• Celery seeds
• Coriander seeds
• Peppercorns
• Hot Red Pepper Flakes
• Allspice berries
• Turmeric
• Dill seed
• Cinnamon sticks
• Dried Hot Chile Peppers

Vegetables:

• Kirby Cucumbers
• Onions
• Garlic
• Shallots
• Bell Peppers
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Asparagus
• Green Beans
• Green Tomatoes

How to Avoid a "Bad" Pickle:

Hollow Pickles - This means that the cucumbers you used were not very fresh. Make sure to purchase very fresh firm pickles.

Soft Pickles - If your pickle lacks that "crunch" so many of us love, it may be because there was too little salt or acid in your brine.

Shriveled Pickles - Shriveled pickles are caused by too much salt, sugar or vinegar causing the resulting brine to be too strong.

Basic Brine Recipe:

(Makes enough brine for 2 pints of pickles)

• 1 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt

Add peppercorns, coarsely chopped garlic, allspice berries, etc. to the brine to change the flavor.

Place all the brine ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and let simmer until the sugar and salt dissolve. Ladle over pickles.

The Recipes:

Spicy Kirby Pickles

(Makes 2 pints)

• 4-5 kirby cucumbers, halved lengthwise
• 4 whole cloves, divided
• 2 bay leaves, divided
• 2 dried red chiles, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, divided
• 3 teaspoons coriander seeds, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, divided
• 3 teaspoons mustard seeds, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, divided
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and pack tightly into two pint size jars. Distribute the cloves, bay leaves, chiles, peppercorns, coriander, mustard, fennel and cumin equally amongst the two jars. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Ladle the brine over the pickles until the pickles are completely covered with the brine mixture. Let cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate until flavorful, about 3 weeks.

Caribbean Pickled Vegetables

(Makes 2 pints)

• 1-1/2 cups cauliflower florets, divided
• 1 cup baby carrots, divided
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, divided
• 4 dried red chiles, divided
• 4 thyme sprigs, divided
• 2 bay leaves, divided
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Blanch the cauliflower in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Let cool completely. Distribute cauliflower, carrots, bell pepper, dried chiles, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves equally amongst the two jars. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, allspice berries, peppercorns and garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Ladle the brine over the vegetables until the vegetables are completely covered with the brine mixture. Let cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate until flavorful, about 10 days.

Quick Japanese Pickles (Khachon)

(Makes about 6 servings or 1 pint)

• 3 medium Kirby cucumbers
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground dried red chiles
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Slice cucumbers crosswise 1/2 inch thick. In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let sit for 1 hour. Pat the cucumbers dry on paper towels. Add scallions, red chiles, garlic, ginger and sugar to the pickles and let sit for 30 minutes. Toss with sesame oil and serve.

- Glutenfreeda