In a pickle

The fermentation trend shows no signs of slowing down. If you have been hesitant to jump on the bandwagon for making fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles because you think it will take too much time or that you will need special canning equipment, you should reconsider. There are plenty of recipes that take little time and require nothing more than a saucepan and a non-reactive holding vessel. 

Pickles are among the simplest recipes – make a brine, add aromatics and vegetables or fruit, and wait. If your vegetables are similar in size and density, you can make the most of odds and ends in the crisper and combine them to make a mixed pickle. Most recipes utilize a vinegar-based brine, and aromatics range from traditional dill and garlic to more exotic options like star anise and orange zest. Some “quick pickle” (aka “refrigerator pickle”) recipes are both easy to make and cut the waiting time down to just a few hours. 

There are hundreds of pickle recipes available online from the EYB library – here are a few to get your mouth watering:

Milwaukee dill refrigerator pickles from Serious Eats by Christina Ward (pictured top)
Aubergine pickle from BBC Good Food
Quick & delicious Cantonese pickles (Guăngdōng pàocài / 廣東泡菜) from Madame Huang’s Kitchen by Carolyn Phillips
Masala chai spiced pickled peaches from Coconut and Lime by Rachael Rappaport
Zucchini pickles from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers
Quick dill pickles from Leite’s Culinaria by Renee Schettler Rossi and Emma Spitzer
The pickled cucumbers I bring everywhere from Marcus Off Duty by Marcus Samuelsson
Pickled sugar snap peas from Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman