Make Your Own Pickles

I like to pickle a lot of different things so that when the winter crop of turnips, rutabaga, and celery root wears thin, I have something on my shelf to brighten my cooking. I love to pickle Kirby cucumbers, ramp (spring onion) bulbs, and Easter Egg radishes the most.

"Pickling" vegetables refers to the simple process of submerging in a salt and water solution (brine) or an acidic ingredient like vinegar. In very simple terms, the "good" bacteria that exists naturally on vegetables consumes the starches/sugars in the vegetable and secretes acids (namely lactic acid) that prevent spoilage. More importantly, the process adds flavor to vegetables, gives them brightness and acidity, and in some cases, increases their vitamin content!

A few important tips:
-Use jars designed for home canning with tightly fitting lids without any dents or rust.
-Select tender vegetables (that are not wax-coated) of a relatively similar size.
-Submerge the jars and the lids in separate non-reactive metal pots and gently simmer them in hot water while you prepare your brine.

Kirby Cucumber Pickle Recipe:
½ cup sea salt
¼ cup apple cider Vvnegar
8 cups "soft" water
4 pounds Kirby cucumbers, thoroughly washed and dried
A few spring fresh dill, washed and dried

1.    Mix the sea salt, apple cider vinegar, and water and bring to a boil. Simmer for five minutes. Remove the brine from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Remove the jars, one by one, from the boiling water and fill each with the cucumbers and a little bit of the dill. The cucumbers (or other vegetables) should be fitted tightly and should come within ½ inch of the top of each jar.

2.    Fill each jar to the top with the brine and tap on a flat surface to remove any possible air bubbles. Wipe each top and rim with a cloth and tightly seal each jar. Keep in a cool place. After 24 hours, the lids should be flat on top and offer no resistance when you press down on them. After a few weeks, open the jars.  Note: If there are any "off" odors, bubbles, or scum, discard immediately.

At the restaurant, after making these pickles we cut them into spears, batter dip and deep fry them, and serve with spicy mayonnaise. Indulgent and delicious!