Easy instructions on quick-pickling fruits and vegetables
It’s the season for fresh fruits and vegetables, and that means it’s also the season for pickles.
Quick refrigerator pickles.
They’re so easy to make. No special canning equipment is required. And, perhaps the best part, you can apply the technique to all sorts of vegetables, eggs, even some meats.
If you don’t enjoy hard-core canning but love the crispness and briny tang of pickled vegetables, these recipes are for you. Quick refrigerator pickles are one of the most simple, set-and-forget foods to make.
They generally need to be eaten within a week or two. But they can be added to almost everything. Pickled accompaniments add zest to your favorite sandwich, salad, taco, burger or special ethnic dish. They also make a nice relish tray with cheeses and deli meats to go with your picnic.
You can use sanitized Mason jars or larger glass jars with fitted lids for storage. Or, just use a clean, covered, non-reactive bowl or other food storage container.
There is no, written-in-stone recipe for quick pickle juice. If you desire a less sweet flavor profile, you can reduce the sugar. Or, to make it spicier, you can try some different types of hot peppers of various heat levels and quantity.
For another variation, try pickling items such as potatoes or tomatoes or other vegetables, then breading them and deep frying them in hot vegetable oil.
Quick Pickled Spring Local Vegetables
Most any fresh vegetable can be pickled, so the combination is wide open. Harder roots vegetables, such as carrots, need to be pre-blanched.
2 cups of matchstick-cut carrots
1 cup of asparagus spears
1/3 cup of sliced fresh jalapeño or other hot peppers
1 cup sliced radishes
2 cucumbers, cut into large matchsticks
1 red onion chopped large
2 cups of water
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of mustard seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
½ cup granulated sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons fresh herbs such as dill, thyme or basil, chopped fine
1 teaspoon of minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon of sea or kosher salt
1 cup of Dijon mustard
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
Blanch the carrots and asparagus: Bring a pot of water to boil, add in cut carrots and asparagus, and cook for 3 minutes, then immediately run the veggies under cold water and put ice on top of them.
Arrange 6 clean Mason jars on top of some paper towels, then tightly pack with all of the vegetables. (If using right away you can store in a clean glass bowl in the refrigerator to chill.)
In a large pot bring water, vinegar, apple cider vinegar, mustard seeds, coriander, sugar, bay leaves and herbs to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature and whisk in Dijon mustard, olive oil and black pepper, then ladle mixture evenly into the Mason jars or into covered glass bowl or covered food storage container.
Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. Refrigerated shelf-life is one week.
Makes: 12 servings
Hot Sauce Pickled Eggs
4 cups hot sauce (Tabasco or Sriracha)
1 ½ cups white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large onions large, diced
1 dozen large eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chilled
In a pot over medium-low heat, bring to simmer the hot sauce, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Then, add the onion to soften, about 10 minutes. Cool hot sauce mixture, then ladle over eggs placed in a sterilized Mason jar. Cover and place in refrigerator. Let sit for for at least 24-48 hours and serve whole or sliced. Refrigerated shelf-life is one week.
Makes: 12 servings
Pickled Tuscan Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1/4 cup sea or kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons of capers
1/2 teaspoon dry red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped oregano
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
4 pints fresh cherry or grape tomatoes
In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar, water, salt, sugar and lemon zest to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar and salt are dissolved. Cool to room temperature and whisk with 1 ¾ cup of olive oil, capers, red pepper, mustard seeds, oregano, parsley and garlic.
Toss tomatoes in ¼ cup of olive oil and place on baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes at 250 degrees. Remove and allow cooling to room temperature.
Evenly distribute tomatoes in glass jars and pour liquid mixture over the top and chill in refrigerator. Refrigerator shelf-life is two weeks.
Makes: 8 servings
Greenbluff Balsamic Pickled Berries
1 pound ripe ( firm and not mushy) blueberries, raspberries, marionberries, strawberries, huckleberries, blackberries or fresh pitted cherries
2 whole cinnamon sticks
½ cup of thinly sliced red onion
1 cup of dark balsamic vinegar
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of sea or kosher salt
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon of real vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
Rinse berries and either top or slice in half strawberries, if using. Divide into 2 sterilized Mason jars with 1 cinnamon stick each and red onion.
In a small pan, combine the balsamic vinegar, salt, sugar, water, vanilla extract and orange zest. Bring to a boil stir and then allow cooling to room temperature and pouring over the berries, leaving a little room at the top. Let cool to room temperature and chill overnight before using.
Refrigerate for 24 hours. Refrigerator shelf-life is one week.
Makes: 6 servings
Quick Dill Pickles
2 cups of distilled white vinegar
1 cup of water
1 cup of granulated sugar
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 ½ teaspoons sea or kosher salt
3 bay leaves
12 small pickling cucumbers, whole or sliced into spears
2 teaspoons fresh dill
Boil vinegar with water, sugar, peppercorns, salt and bay leaves in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Pour over cucumber spears and dill in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerator shelf-life is 2 weeks.
Makes: 12 servings
Pickled Eggs With Mustard
2 cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons plain salad mustard
1/2 cup water
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
6 whole cloves
1/8 teaspoon turmeric or curry powder
2 onions, sliced thin
12 hard boiled eggs, peeled
Add all ingredients through turmeric or curry powder to sauce pan, bring to boil, mix well with a whisk, reduce to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Layer onions and eggs in large Mason jar, and cover with pickle brine. Cover with lid, and let marinate in refrigerator at least 24 hours. Refrigerator shelf-life is one week.
Makes: 12 servings
Beet Pickled Eggs
3 (15-ounce) cans whole canned cooked beets
12 eggs
¼ cup of lemon juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 medium yellow onion
Puree 2 cans of beets in food processor, place in bowl and set aside. Reserve 1 can to slice and mix in as garnish.
Hard boil eggs in water and lemon juice. Peel the eggs and chill.
In pot, add 1 cup of water, vinegar, sugar, cloves, lemon zest, bay leaves and white pepper. Bring pot to a boil, then remove from heat and chill to room temperature. Stir in the beet puree and pour over eggs, reserved sliced beet and onion in jars or a bowl. Refrigerate at least 24 hours before using. Refrigerator shelf-life is one week.
Makes: 12 servings
Victoria Island Pickled Chutney
1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
½ cup parsnips, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 cup red apples, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 cup dried dates, chopped
½ cup dried mango diced
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup honey
1¾ cups malt vinegar
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Add all ingredients to a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the parsnips are tender and the liquid is reduced and thickened, allow to cool to room temperature. Add all cooked mixture to sterilized jars or bowl and chill.
Refrigerate for at least 24 hours and serve. Refrigerator shelf-life is two weeks.
Makes: 12 servings
Quick Sweet Spicy Pickled Peaches, Pears Or Mango
2 cups water
2 1/2 cups apple cider or white balsamic vinegar or rice wine vinegar
4 cups granulated sugar
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 sticks cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8 whole cloves
5 pounds peeled, pitted and halved peaches, pears or mango (can be combined)
1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
In a large size pot, combine the water, vinegar, sugars, cinnamon sticks, ginger, crushed red pepper, salt, mustard seeds and cloves. Bring to boil, then chill to room temperature and pour over peaches, pears or mango and onion, peppers and mint in sterilized jars or bowl and refrigerate. Refrigerator shelf-life is one week.
Makes: 18 servings
Japanese Pickled Watermelon Rinds
1 pound watermelon rind, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 quart water
¼ cup kosher salt
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 cup rice wine vinegar
½ cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Soak rinds in salt and water overnight drain in rinse with fresh water. Add rinds to boiling water then simmer for 30 minutes. Chill, then toss with remaining ingredients and serve. Refrigerator shelf-life is two weeks.
Makes: 12 servings
Quick Pickled Mushrooms
2 pounds medium button or crimini mushrooms
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
6 bay leaves
1 bunch green onions chopped
1 cup olive oil
8 whole peppercorns
6 garlic cloves
6 tablespoons vinegar
Blanch mushrooms for 10 minutes with lemon juice and water.
Bring marinade of other ingredients to boil then chill to room temperature and pour over mushrooms. Refrigerator shelf-life is two weeks.
Makes: 6 servings
Malted Baked Pickle Fries
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons malt vinegar
1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons mustard powder
4 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
8 russet potatoes, cut into fry size and shape
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the oil and vinegar. Add the herbs and spices, and stir until mixed.
Toss the potatoes in the dill mixture to evenly coat.
Spread the dill pickle fries evenly on greased baking sheets, and cook for 40-60 minutes. Turn the fries every 10 minutes, and rotate the racks until the desired crispiness is reached. Serve dill pickle fries hot.
Makes: 8 servings
Timothy Grayson is the district executive chef for Sodexo Dining Services and is based at Whitworth University.