Alison Lambert shares some of her favourite pickle recipes.
I love a good pickle with my meal or in a sandwich and if like me you have heard a lot about fermented goods, whether they be kimchi, sauerkraut or curtido, you might be wondering what this is all about and what is the difference between a pickle and a ferment.
Pickles basically are preserved in an acidic solution, whereas fermented goods that you ferment by using salt, whey and perhaps some filtered water will create their own preserving acidic liquid.
These methods are nothing new and grace many cuisines of the world.
Apart from the many health benefits of adding a little bit of pickle to your meal, they actually taste delicious and almost become addictive.
Quick refrigerated courgette pickles
Makes 1 litre jar
I get asked what can I do with my excess courgettes. Well this quick pickle recipe will certainly help to store them for a while.
Ingredients
3 large cloves garlic, halved
3 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1kg courgettes, sliced into thin rounds
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp honey
Method
Wash and sterilise a large glass jar and lid that holds about 1 litre. In a large bowl add the garlic, peppercorns, coriander, red pepper flakes, zucchini and onion. Toss together and set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring vinegar, water, salt, and honey to a boil. Pour hot mixture over ingredients in the jar, pressing down on the vegetables so that brine covers them completely.
Let cool on the counter to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours, or two to four days for maximum flavour. Keeps in refrigerator for two months.
Spiced preserved lemons
Makes 1 litre jar
Using lemons in this way will enhance and perfume your dishes. Remember when using the preserved lemons, you only use the skin, not the flesh.
Ingredients
1.5kg lemons, if waxed lightly scrub and rinse
1 cup salt
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli flakes
30g ginger, fresh, finely sliced
4 tsp mustard seeds (yellow and brown)
4 tsp fenugreek or fennel seeds
Method
Wash and sterilise jar. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients except lemons.
With a sharp knife slice through the top of the lemon downwards of way through. Do again at 90 degrees to the initial cut's direction so you get an almost quartered fruit.
Rub salt mixture generously into the lemons inside and out and pack tightly into jar, pressing down to squeeze all of them in. You should have enough lemon juice to cover the lemons, if however you don't, squeeze the juice of another lemon or two until the lemons are covered.
Secure with a lid, label and let sit for at least 1 month but the longer the better as you want the skin to soften and take on all the flavours.
Curtido
Makes 2 1 litre jars
Curtido originates from El Salvador and is eaten on a daily basis with most meals. It is simple to make with many health benefits. I used whey which I got from straining yoghurt. It can however be made without the addition of this.
Ingredients
1 large cabbage, cored and finely sliced
2-3 carrots, grated
2 medium onions, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
1 Tbsp dried oregano
¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp sea salt
Method
Sterilise your jar and lid and set aside.
In a large bowl mix together the sliced cabbage, carrot, onion, oregano, pepper and salt. You need to pound this mixture firmly for at least five minutes or until the vegetables have started to release a lot of liquid and the vegetables have softened a little.
Place in clean glass jars and press down firmly until juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage mixture should be a minimum of 2cm below the top of the jars.
Cover the jar with a tight lid, but you will have to release build-up of excess gas and pressure or if covering with muslin just make sure it's secured tightly and you won't have to release excess gas, as this way it can breathe.
After three days your curtido is ready to eat but if you can wait longer the flavour will be more matured.
Best stored in the fridge.
Easy pickled vegetables
Makes 1 litre jar
This method of pickling is one of the first I ever did as a young chef. It is a great recipe as you can adapt the vegetables to suit the seasons. Also you can mix up the array of herbs and spices to create your own personalised jars.
Ingredients
Pickling brine
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
2 Tbsp sugar coarse salt
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
4 fresh bay leaves
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp coriander seeds
pinch chilli (optional)
4 fresh bay leaves
Vegetables
1 bulb fennel, tops removed and cut into thin wedges
1 carrot, cut into sticks
1 red pepper, seeds removed and cut into 4-6 pieces
1 cup cauliflower florets
Method
Wash and sterilise the jar and lid.
Prepare all the vegetables and set aside.
In medium-sized saucepan add the vinegar, water, sugar and salt and bring to the boil.
Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, celery salt, coriander, chilli and bay leaves. Bring back to the boil.
Add the prepared vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and drain off the brine, but make sure you keep the brining liquid!Place the clean jar over a plate and fill with the hot vegetables.
Pour over the hot brining liquid so that it overflows. Seal with lid and wipe the jar clean.
Store in the fridge when cold for up to 8 weeks.
Alison Lambert is one of the demonstrators at the Otago Farmers Market in Dunedin on Saturday mornings.
