Extend the Life of Your Fresh Vegetables and Fruits by Quick Pickling

Even the greatest cooks have a hard time using summer’s bounty of fruits and vegetables. Canning and freezing are always a great food preservation options, but quick pickling provides a short term quick and easy option.  I love everything pickled, but am not fond of the approved pickling process, that’s what makes the art (and ease) of quick pickling especially interesting!  Pickled vegetables are a great accompaniment to a variety of dishes, they are very simple and add loads of flavor! 

Quick Pickling is a great solution for preserving a wide variety of vegetables from the market or your garden.  Quick pickling does not require a bushel of vegetables, and you can adapt the simple recipe formula for any fresh vegetables or fruit.  

Quick pickles are also known as refrigerator pickles, they are simply vegetables and some fruits that are pickled in a vinegar, water, and salt or sugar.   They are stored in the refrigerator for a limited amount of time, but are great for serving in just a few days.  

Here are the basic ingredients and instructions;

What do you need?

1/2 cup or so of veggies of choice (I like red onion, carrots and jalapenos, but I also added radishes this time!)

1 clove garlic, cut into fourths

1/2 cup water

1/2 white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

How do you do it?

Chop up your veggies! Slice them thin!

Pour the vinegar and water into a measuring cup, add the salt and sugar bring the water and vinegar to a boil in a small pan.

Place veggies & garlic in a bowl and pour over the hot liquid

leave until they come to room temp and then serve or chill in the fridge!

They will get a little soft the longer they sit - they're good for a week, but best eaten within a couple days after they're made. 

You can bypass the cooking stage and combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and put it in the fridge overnight - no heating up the liquid is needed.

In case you are like me and prefer a recipe, at least the first time, here are some ideas!

Quick Pickled Asparagus 

3/4 cup rice vinegar 

2 tablespoons salt 

2 tablespoons sugar 

2 tablespoons pickling spice 

1 to 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, rinsed and tough stem ends snapped off 

In wide 4- to 5-quart pan, combine vinegar, salt, sugar, pickling spice, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add asparagus; if liquid doesn't cover it, add water to cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until asparagus has faded to dull green and is tender-crisp to bite, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; add 1 cup ice cubes to stop cooking. Let stand at least 30 minutes (see notes).

Drain asparagus and arrange on a platter or seal in a container for transport.

Serves 4-6, each serving contains; Calories 17, Protein 1.9 g, Fat 0.1 g, Carbohydrate 3.3 g, 

Fiber 0.6 g, Sodium 194 mg.

Quick Pickled Hot Peppers 

1/2 pound jalapeños (choose larger jalapeños for less spicy pickles)

1 red bell pepper

1 cup apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar)

1 cup water

2 tablespoons honey or sugar of choice

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 teaspoon salt

Prepare your peppers: Wear gloves to prevent your fingers from feeling burned. For less spicy pickles, use a paring knife to remove the jalapeño membranes and seeds before slicing. Slice the pickles thin with a mandolin or chef's knife. If you're still concerned about the spice level of the pickles, run the sliced jalapeños under running water in a colander to try to knock off any remaining seeds. (Beware, those pepper fumes are worse to me that the pepper.) Slice off the top of the bell pepper and remove the seeds and membranes. Chop the bell pepper.

Combine the prepared peppers and smashed garlic in a 28-ounce (1.75 pints) or larger glass jar. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, honey and salt. Bring the mixture close to a boil on the stove, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sweetener into the liquid. Remove from heat and carefully pour the liquid over the peppers. Use a butter knife to pock down the peppers so they all fit and there aren't any hidden air pockets.

Let the pickles cool to room temperature in the jar, then screw on a lid and refrigerate the pickles. Depending on how thinly you sliced the peppers, they could be ready to eat immediately or might need a couple of days in the refrigerator before they taste fully pickled. 

Quick Pickled Corn

 2 small dried chiles

1 seeded thinly sliced jalapeño

1/4 thinly sliced medium red onion

2 cups corn kernels (from about 2 ears)

Fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup water

Combine dried chiles, sliced jalapeno, red onion, corn kernels, cilantro leaves, lime juice and black pepper in a heatproof 1-quart jar. Bring vinegar, kosher salt, sugar and 3/4 cup water to a boil; pour over corn. (Add water to cover, if needed.) Seal jar. Let cool; chill. Will keep up to 1 month.

Yields 10 servings, each serving contains: Calories 20, Fat 0 g.

Quick Pickled Cherry Tomatoes

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup water

4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 3-x 1/2-inch strip lemon peel (yellow part only, removed with vegetable peeler)

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and/or pear tomatoes

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Pour vinegar and 3/4 cup water into small saucepan. Add salt, sugar, and lemon peel. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat. Let cool 20 minutes. 

Pierce each tomato 2 times with slender wooden skewer. Toss tomatoes, dill, garlic, and crushed red pepper in large bowl. Add cooled vinegar mixture. Let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. 

Yields 3 cups, each 1/4 cup contains: Calories 17, Fat 0 g., Fiber 0.4 g.

Don’t forget to try some fruit. 

Quick Pickled Strawberries

1 pound ripe but firm strawberries, hulled, halved if large

1½ cups white balsamic vinegar

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Place strawberries in a 1-qt. heatproof jar. Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, and ⅔ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Pour over strawberries. Let cool; cover and chill.

Do Ahead: Strawberries can be pickled 5 days ahead. Keep 

Yields 1 Quart, each serving contains: Calories 170, Fat 0 g.

Quick Pickled Blueberries

(Courtesy of Chef Tyler Kord of No. 7 Sub Shop in New York City)

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1⁄4 cup sugar

1 3⁄4 tbsp. kosher salt

1 1⁄4 lb. blueberries

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Whisk vinegar, sugar, salt, and 1⁄4 cup water in a medium bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Add blueberries and onion, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight before using. Yields 3 ½ cups.