Small Batch Pickled Vegetables

[nakji]

My husband and I really like to eat pickled vegetables, especially as a pre-dinner snack with a glass of beer or a bit of whatever the local tipple happens to be. I don't have a lot of space in my flat to keep canned pickles on hand - although I wish I did. So I've gotten in the habit of making quick pickles that last a week or so in the fridge; I like to search out recipes that make one or two bottles of something that I can have on hand for just such occasions. Sometimes I make fermented pickles like kimchi, but mostly I rely on brine or vinegar quick pickles.

I made two today - one of my favourite recipes makes a small batch, although they're not particularly quick - is from Marcella Hazan's Italian Kitchen book. They're thinly sliced eggplants layered with salt, garlic, chili, and mint. Then you weight them and turn them upside down for 12 hours, then you vinegar them and do the same again for another twelve hours, then you cover the lot with olive oil and keep them in the fridge. Whenever I give them to anyone, they go crazy for them. They're really excellent on a sandwich as well.

I also made a small batch - around 200g of pickled onions - these are in a vinegar solution flavoured with a cinnamon stick and a red chili. I'm looking forward to trying these with cheese. The recipe is from "The Korean Table".

And last week I made a batch of hot pickled cauliflower with garlic and red chilis. The recipe was from "Everyday Harumi", and used vinegar. Instead of salt, however, the recipe uses chicken boullion powder. I'd post a picture of these, but we ate them so fast, they didn't stand a chance.

Anyone else like making small batch pickled vegetables?

[weinoo]

From another thread...I usually have a small batch of pickles going on...

A fresh dill cucumber pickle on the left, (1:2 vinegar to water) and a green and yellow wax bean giardiniera experiment on the right. I blanched the beans on the right for 3 minutes, and they're in about a 2:1 vinegar to water ratio.

[nickrey]

There are some excellent suggestions for pickling vegetables in David Chang's Momofuku cookbook.

Currently I have pickled Daikon and pickled Cucumbers in my fridge. I also had some fresh walnuts and made pickled walnuts at the same time. The walnuts were most recently used in a Fish Vera Cruz recipe to give both crunch and acid to the dish.

[petite tête de chou]

How timely that this thread should pop up today as I'm getting ready to make my first batch of sweet n- spicy cucumber chips this afternoon. God, I love those things! And yesterday I bought a whole head of cauliflower so I'll probably pickle some of that, too. I'm *always* up for new sweet and spicy brine recipes so I'd sure love it if anyone had a few favorites to share. And I really do like things spicy, spicy!

[nakji]

How timely that this thread should pop up today as I'm getting ready to make my first batch of sweet n- spicy cucumber chips this afternoon. God, I love those things! And yesterday I bought a whole head of cauliflower so I'll probably pickle some of that, too. I'm *always* up for new sweet and spicy brine recipes so I'd sure love it if anyone had a few favorites to share. And I really do like things spicy, spicy!

Then I must share Harumi's recipe:

Take one head of cauliflower and break into smallish florets. It should yield around two cups. Heat 45 ml of oil (sunflower or similar) in a frypan and saute four or five fat cloves that have been thinly sliced. When it has turned golden and is fragrant, add your cauliflower and two roughly chopped red chilies to the pan - I used small red Chinese chilis. Harumi says to seed the chilies, but if you like it hot, leave them in if you don't mind how it looks. Note - this isn't a sweet pickle, but it's addictively sour.

You should saute the cauliflower quickly on a high heat. I did mine in a wok until the edges of the florets were crispy, the florets were still firm - about 2 minutes.

Then add 1 tablespoon of chicken stock granules, 100 ml of rice vinegar, and one teaspoon of good soy sauce. Toss it about and serve. These are even better overnight, but our batch didn't last any longer than that.

From another thread...I usually have a small batch of pickles going on...

A fresh dill cucumber pickle on the left, (1:2 vinegar to water) and a green and yellow wax bean giardiniera experiment on the right. I blanched the beans on the right for 3 minutes, and they're in about a 2:1 vinegar to water ratio.

I wonder if small-batch pickles are getting more popular? Or do people who pickle still mostly can everything? I'd love to be able to can, but I don't have the space.

Currently I have pickled Daikon and pickled Cucumbers in my fridge.

How do you do your daikon - I often do mine Korean style - salted and sugared, then drained and sprinkled with chili powder, but it doesn't really keep. It's more of a salad. I'd love a recipe for pickled daikon cubes of the kind that come with Korean fried chicken.

ETA photo

[janeer]

I too like pickles for appetizers. I adore the versatile Mexican pickled onion--Rick Bayless's recipe in Authentic Mexican is good--which are a terrific garnish for almost anything; I keep them on hand. My favorite quick pickle is olive oil pickles, recipe here, that I have made for, oh, 30 years. I love them straight from the freezer. My grandmother used to make a quick pickle with cucumber, lemon, and sugar that was very nice.

[nakji]

My grandmother used to make a quick pickle with cucumber, lemon, and sugar that was very nice.

Did she use lemon juice or lemon zest, or both?

[nickrey]

Currently I have pickled Daikon and pickled Cucumbers in my fridge.

How do you do your daikon - I often do mine Korean style - salted and sugared, then drained and sprinkled with chili powder, but it doesn't really keep. It's more of a salad. I'd love a recipe for pickled daikon cubes of the kind that come with Korean fried chicken.

Hi Erin,

I bought myself a Benriner turning vegetable slicer and use it to slice the Daikon into a fine circular julienne.

The marinade is simple: combine 240g water, 120g vinegar, 75g sugar, 10g salt until solids are dissolved. Pour over Daikon in container to cover. Mature for around a week before eating. It will keep as long as other opened pickles in your refrigerator.

Checking my refrigerator, I also pickled some finely sliced fennel at the same time.

[JAZ]

This topic reminds me that I've been meaning to pull out my copy of Quick Pickles by Chris Schlesinger. When I first bought it a few years ago, I made pickles at least once a week, but haven't made any in ages. I recall a great recipe for beets and one for carrots that I liked.

[weinoo]

This topic reminds me that I've been meaning to pull out my copy of Quick Pickles by Chris Schlesinger. When I first bought it a few years ago, I made pickles at least once a week, but haven't made any in ages. I recall a great recipe for beets and one for carrots that I liked.

That's my standard go-to for the quick pickles.

About the daikon. Does it always have a unique odor when it's pickled?

[nakji]

Does it always have a unique odor when it's pickled?

Oh, it smells a little like, uh, farts, yeah? Never figured out how to get around that.

[Anna N]

Does it always have a unique odor when it's pickled?

Oh, it smells a little like, uh, farts, yeah? Never figured out how to get around that.

And that's precisely why I have give up on daikon - the smell of my 'fridge is more than I can stand so it is something I enjoy elsewhere!

[ravensfeast]

Timely post indeed. I picked up the loveliest Napa cabbage I've ever seen from my CSA. Bright leafy green, less white and frizzled than the standard variety you see at the grocery store. I've made some fresh salads with it, braised some with beans and I still have another head. I want to make a kimchi as I already have the Korean chili paste I think I will need. Does anyone have a go-to kimchi recipe they'd share?

[heidih]

Does it always have a unique odor when it's pickled?

Oh, it smells a little like, uh, farts, yeah? Never figured out how to get around that.

And that's precisely why I have give up on daikon - the smell of my 'fridge is more than I can stand so it is something I enjoy elsewhere!

I always had a simple Vietnamese water pickle of carrot and daikon and my son would make a similar comment when I opened the jar. The good thing was that keeping it in a tightly closed glass jar resulted in NO fridge odor.

[nakji]

I always had a simple Vietnamese water pickle of carrot and daikon and my son would make a similar comment when I opened the jar. The good thing was that keeping it in a tightly closed glass jar resulted in NO fridge odor.

That's a very good tip. Did you use that pickle on banh mi?

Timely post indeed. I picked up the loveliest Napa cabbage I've ever seen from my CSA. Bright leafy green, less white and frizzled than the standard variety you see at the grocery store. I've made some fresh salads with it, braised some with beans and I still have another head. I want to make a kimchi as I already have the Korean chili paste I think I will need. Does anyone have a go-to kimchi recipe they'd share?

Cabbage kimchi is one thing I usually don't make at home, but I really enjoy making mul kimchi out of fresh napa. We have some discussion in our "Making Kimchi at Home" topic.

[janeer]

My grandmother used to make a quick pickle with cucumber, lemon, and sugar that was very nice.

Did she use lemon juice or lemon zest, or both?

Just lemon juice, but zest would be nice too.

[nakji]

Just lemon juice, but zest would be nice too.

One pickle I really enjoyed in Japan was daikon sticks pickled with yuzu zest, which is what made me think of it. What was her method to use the lemon juice - in place of or in addition to vinegar?

[heidih]

Yes- used the Vietnamese water pickle of daikon and carrot on bahn mi, but more often just in lettuce wraps of grilled meats. I would offer the recipe but the book is in storage. The basics are daikon on the mandoline and carrot curled off the vegetable peeler (use big fat carrots). The brine was about 1/2 and 1/2 white vinegar and water with a bit of salt & sugar. The main thing I have learned in terms of quick pickle longevity is to be quite careful to use a clean utensil in the jars. It can be tempting to go back for another bit with a fork or chopstick that has been elsewhere, without even realizing. With a "clean" jar these things can go weeks even.

[Marmish]

Nakji, those raw eggplant pickles sound good. I ordered the book from the library yesterday. I've never made pickled anything, so am following this discussion with interest.

[janeer]

Just lemon juice, but zest would be nice too.

One pickle I really enjoyed in Japan was daikon sticks pickled with yuzu zest, which is what made me think of it. What was her method to use the lemon juice - in place of or in addition to vinegar?

I had to look yuzu up--sounds very nice, a little like jicama with lime, of which I am fond. My grandmother used lemon juice only, I think; I was small. If there was vinegar as well, it would have been apple cider vinegar, but my memory is lemon only.

[nakji]

Nakji, those raw eggplant pickles sound good. I ordered the book from the library yesterday. I've never made pickled anything, so am following this discussion with interest.

I think you'll enjoy that whole, book, not just for the pickles! Check out our topic on cooking with it.

I pulled an eggplant out of the jar today to check, and it was perfectly done. Now all I need to do is get some other antipasto ingredients lined up for a proper plate.

I had to look yuzu up--sounds very nice, a little like jicama with lime, of which I am fond. My grandmother used lemon juice only, I think; I was small. If there was vinegar as well, it would have been apple cider vinegar, but my memory is lemon only.

Jicama with lime! How exotic sounding. There's something very nice about the combination of crisp and tart.

I have eaten all the onions in my small-batch onion jar, and am dealing with some cucumbers from my CSA bag. I'm wondering if I can re-use some or all of the vinegar from the onions with some new cucumbers. Does anyone else ever do that?

[Anna N]

I have eaten all the onions in my small-batch onion jar, and am dealing with some cucumbers from my CSA bag. I'm wondering if I can re-use some or all of the vinegar from the onions with some new cucumbers. Does anyone else ever do that?

I make Danish cucumber pickles and will often re-use the pickling liquid (sugar and vinegar). I strain it, boil it up for 5 minutes to kill any nasties, add a little more sugar and vinegar and voila! I have never had a problem doing this.

Edited May 25, 2010 by heidih
fix quote tags (log)

[nakji]

Last weekend I made a great Vietnamese quick pickle as a relish for my "banh mi burger" attempt. Really simple, really nice.

4 cups of bean sprouts

1 grated carrot

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

1 handful cilantro leaves and stems

1 red chili, thinly sliced

Tossed together in a bowl.

In a saucepan:

3/4 cup rice vinegar

3/4 cup water

1 tbsp. salt

The original recipe called for 2 tbsp. of sugar; I goofed and added 3/4 cup, because the number was in my head. Turned out nice for a burger relish, but sweet. Obvious 2 tbsp. will yield a more sour pickle.

Bring these to boil until the sugar and salt dissolves, then cool. Pour over the vegetables and let them sit for an hour; drain, then serve. I reserved the liquid and put the salad mix back into and into the fridge for another week post original use, and it was fine. The bean sprouts go kind of long and skinny, but it's still delicious.

[Anna N]

This topic reminds me that I've been meaning to pull out my copy of Quick Pickles by Chris Schlesinger. When I first bought it a few years ago, I made pickles at least once a week, but haven't made any in ages. I recall a great recipe for beets and one for carrots that I liked.

Thanks for this book recommendation JAZ. Kerry Beal managed to source me a copy and here's my first batch of quick pickles. On the left are Bread and Butter Pickles and on the right "Back Eddy" Pickles. I hope to delve further into this book in the weeks ahead.

[nakji]

Anna, what's in the "Back-eddy" pickles? Just mixed veg? They look great!

Has anyone tried any of the quick pickles from this month's Saveur? I'm thinking about the pickled tomatoes as I've never had anything like that before.