Fermented Dill Pickle Spears by the Jar
These easy, crispy fermented dill pickles are easy to make in small batches in a quart jar and they’re ready in just a matter of days.
Tag: pickles
Pickled Whole Shishito Pepper Canning Recipe
In the last few years, shishito peppers have easily become one of my favorite peppers to grow in my garden. They are compact pepper plants as far as pepper plants go but despite their small garden footprint, they are very prolific. I typically grow 2-3 …
Quick Pickled Fennel
Fresh fennel has an incredibly distinctive flavor that tastes one way when it’s fresh and a different way when it’s roasted or cooked. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the anise flavor of fresh fennel, I urge you to try it pickled which brings out an entirely new nuance to the flavor of it.
Easy Quick Pickled Fennel with Lemon Recipe
- 4 cups thinly sliced fennel, tender shoots included. I also like to reserve a few fronds for the mix.
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar (if you want to use seasoned rice vinegar, omit the sugar and salt)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Zest of 1/2 large lemon
Directions
- Thinly slice fennel and transfer to a quart canning jar or large glass bowl
- In a small frying pan, add coriander and cumin seeds and toast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until fragrant.
- In a saucepan, combine toasted seeds and the remaining ingredients and heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil
- Pour mixture over sliced fennel and stir well
- Cool, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight
This is a quick and easy way to preserve fresh fennel. The sugar adds just a bit of sweetness and the lemon adds a little brightness. If you don’t have rice vinegar, try white balsamic instead.
If you’re wondering how to use your newly-pickled fennel, it’s delicious with grilled or steamed white fish or served alongside roast beef or better yet, just toss it into your next salad. It’s a perfect pairing with summer tomatoes and I hope to share my salad recipe for that with you soon.
Fennel is easy to grow in the garden too, at least here in zone 5; just be sure to give each plant lots of space to grow. The fresh fronds from the fennel plant also make a fragrant bouquet as a centerpiece for your next get-together.
As a final note, this stores well in the fridge for weeks, so it’s easy to prepare and have on hand.
Enjoy!
Braised Red Cabbage
Here’s a quick recipe for today – braised red cabbage. There are a lot of ways to customize this and change it up but I want to show you just how simple and easy braised red cabbage can be. Easy Braised Red Cabbage Recipe 1/2 …
Asian-inspired Spicy BBQ Meatballs with Rice Noodles and Pickled Veggies
It’s easy to get stuck in a food rut, so I often try to play around with new ideas. This time, I had in mind an Asian-inspired bowl of pasta and meatballs, so to speak, but as a fun dish packed full of flavor. Thai …
Cucumber Salad Recipe
I’ve been posting some of my classic recipes recently, such as my potato salad with peas and my easy refrigerated pickled beets, so here’s another classic for you. This simple little salad has a number of different names – cucumber salad, refrigerator pickles. pickled cucumbers, and the obvious, cucumbers in vinegar. No matter what you call it, it’s easy to make and a fabulous way to preserve your cucumber bounty, whether it’s from your garden or your over-ambitiousness at the farmer’s market. Because of the vinegar, this dish stores easily in your fridge for weeks and makes a perfect side to grilled ribs and chicken. They’re also great on burgers and hot dogs and nothing can be easier to make.
I prefer to make mine with rice vinegar, as it’s not as sharp as white vinegar, but white will certainly work.
Cold Cucumber Salad (Refrigerator Cucumber Salad) Recipe
- 2 lbs. pickling cucumbers (about 6 medium)
- 1 medium white onion, sliced thin
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
Remove the ends from cucumbers and discard. Slice the cucumbers thin – I prefer mine sliced over shaved with a mandolin, but you can try it both ways to see what you like – and place them in a large container with a lid. Thinly slice your onion and add to the cucumbers.
Sprinkle the cucumbers and onions with salt and toss well. Sprinkle with pepper, add vinegar and water and toss well again. Using the back of a large spoon or a potato masher, gently press everything down in the bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 days, stirring them up and pressing them back down a few times. The cucumbers and onions will release their moisture and create a brine as they mix with the salt, vinegar, and water.
You now have quick pickles, basically, and they’re oh, so good!
If you have fresh dill on hand, it’s a delicious addition to this. Also, you can toss with fresh tomatoes before serving – just don’t add them ahead of time, as tomatoes will lose their flavor when refrigerated too long.
You can also use red onions here but be warned that they can turn your salad pink, especially the longer it sits.
Did you have this salad (or pickles) growing up? What did you call them? I’d love to hear about it! And now you know an easy way to preserve them when you’re wondering what to do with a lot of cucumbers.
Enjoy!
Refrigerator Pickled Beets
Every year I grow beets and every year I still end up with more than we can eat. I love them roasted on the grill or in the oven, or shredded and made into my beet and carrot slaw. I saute the greens up, similar …