Quick Pickled Roots
Summer means fresh garden produce, and fresh garden produced needs preserving as much as possible. So we turned to Tigress for a brief summer series on quick and easy pickling, which is just one way to preserve the bounty of summer a little longer. Pickling is surprisingly easy — take a look at this first post to see just how simple it can be.
Oh snap! Summer is here and you want something snappy to ward off the heat? Or, you need something whistle-wetting and at-the-ready for impromptu summer cocktail munchies?
I’m happy to be back here at The Kitchn for a series of three summer guest posts that are going to help you do just that. One word my friends: Pickles.
What’s that you say? You’re not excited about standing over a vat of boiling water in the dead of summer sealing up a bunch of jars? Perhaps there’s more real estate available in your fridge than on your three tiny apartment kitchen shelves. To that I say, OK, two words then: Quick Pickles.
Absolutely anyone can pickle quickly! You can pretty much pickle anything that grows with equal parts vinegar and water, a little salt and some spices. And as long as you’re putting the jar in the fridge, no need to be cautious about acidity levels as you would with home canning. The best part? They take no time to make (hence, quick) and after you let them chill for three days in your fridge you’ll be chillin’ with your friends munching on pickles you can’t believe you made.
First I bring you, Quick Pickled Roots. Not only is the taste snappy on these little gems – there’s a lot of garlic and ginger in that jar – pickled roots offer a summery crunch that pairs perfectly with all manner of warm weather cocktails. I like to use a mixture of white turnips and red radishes for the added tang they afford and the lovely pink blush that happens three days into it. You can use one or the other completely, or go in another direction with say, jicama, carrots, or even kohlrabi (which i know is not a root technically, but lets just keep that between us).
Quick Pickled Roots
1 1/4 pounds of radishes and white turnips, washed and quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon whole allspice, lightly crushed
1 inch slice of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 whole dried hot chile, crushed, or one teaspoon chile flakes
Special equipment
1 quart Mason jar
Place quartered turnips and radishes in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. (If using jicama or kholrabi, peel first and cut into 1 X 1/4 inch pieces. If using carrots, cut into 1 X 1/4 inch and blanch for two minutes before salting). Let sit for one hour. Drain and place in jar.
Add all other ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour directly into Mason jar. Cap jar and let stand at room temperature until cool. Refrigerate. They will be ready to eat in three days.
See how easy?
They will last in the fridge for one month…but I doubt it.
Next week, Quick Pickled ‘Shrooms! Don’t miss it.
(Images: Hungry Tigress)