The Pickle Chick

HALF-SOURS FOR THE NEW YEAR According to my primary pickling...

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:02:04 -0700

HALF-SOURS FOR THE NEW YEAR

According to my primary pickling book, “The Joy of Pickling” by Linda Ziedrich, “half-sours aren’t pickles taken prematurely from their brine, rather, they’re cured quickly in a low-salt brine, which hastens the fermentation, so the pickles never get very sour, no matter how long they remain in the brine.”

This recipe required steps that I have never done before. Including: creating a seal with a Ziploc bag, letting the pickles sit a room temperature for three days, so that fermentation begins, then skimming off scum and sealing the jar. This is definitely a unique pickling method, and I am excited to taste the results.

Cheers to 2013 and more pickling adventures,

The Pickle Chick

HOME (MADE) FOR THE HOLIDAYS 2012 has been an absolute blur, and...

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 10:19:49 -0700

HOME (MADE) FOR THE HOLIDAYS

2012 has been an absolute blur, and lately my pickling and blogging efforts have suffered. However, as I made my Christmas gift list a month ago- I knew I needed to get busy. I always try and give personal, and if possible, handmade gifts.

Rewind a couple of months ago… This fall, I was given a bag of jalapenos from my uncle’s garden, and while I love jalapenos I didn’t quite know what to do with an entire bag of them. To my recipes books I went and I found a fantastic Texas Jalapeno Jelly recipe. I have to admit jelly intimidated me a little, but it is basically the same steps as pickling, so I tried it. The results were the best jalapeno jelly I have ever eaten.

Now back to early December…The simplicity, color and a small jar size made Jalapeno Jelly the perfect gifts for coworkers, family and friends. My lovely mom made the hang tags and helped me get enough knifes, spoons and forks to accompany the jelly and other pickled gifts. The results were personal, practical, cute and tasty holiday gifts; which have been graciously received.

‘Tis the Season,

The Pickle Chick

Taste of Home Canning Magazine Who knew that canning is so...

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 21:13:19 -0600

Taste of Home Canning Magazine

Who knew that canning is so popular there is a quarterly magazine? Well, I didn’t until recently and I have to say it is amazing. I mean I guess all things are relative, but I write a blog about pickling and I think it is really great. The magazine is full of seasonal pickling, jam, jelly and canning recipes. 143 recipes to be exact. I have dog-eared almost every page, and tonight I was anxious to try a pickling concoction out. I started with familiar veggies, cucumbers, jalapeno and dill. I wonder how these pickles will stack up?

xx,

Pickle Chick

CRABBY APPLES I call my Aunt Karen my soul aunt because as I am...

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:42:47 -0600

CRABBY APPLES

I call my Aunt Karen my soul aunt because as I am becoming older we share so many things in common- we are from the same cloth. We recently spent the afternoon together, and she has the most amazing apple tree I have ever seen. Truly, this tree produces enough apples for the entire neighborhood. However, the apples are really best used in baking. I don’t bake, but I decided to climb the ladder and collect a bag full determined to find a pickling recipe, and I did.

The recipe starts with making a syrup comprised of cinnamon, allspice berries, cloves, cider vinegar, water and sugar. Then the apples boil with the syrup mixture and let set for several hours. Then it is jarred and processed. The recipe says these apples are a great compliment to roasted and grilled meats.

Perfect for a fall meal, and now my house smells like fall too.

I have said, “you can pickle almost everything.”...

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 15:29:54 -0600

I have said, “you can pickle almost everything.” Sunflower seeds is an exception.

PICKLED GIFTS I love giving my pickled goods away as gifts....

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 16:22:21 -0600

PICKLED GIFTS

I love giving my pickled goods away as gifts. They are great hostess gifts, perfect to bring to summer BBQ’s, and family, friends and co-workers seem to love getting a jar of my pickled fare too. I found the above pictured kit in Serenbe, GA at an adorable general store that we stopped in on our way to Atlanta. The kit includes pretty labels to customize jars, as well as patterned toppers and strings. My pickled goods just got a lot cuter.

Sweet Pickles,

The Pickle Chick

PICKLES WITH MOM My mom and I had dinner last week, and then I...

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 20:45:42 -0600

PICKLES WITH MOM

My mom and I had dinner last week, and then I invited her over for some pickling. She was so helpful and had great recipe substitution ideas. Because lets be honest, I rarely have every single ingredient on hand. The first recipe we made was Pickled Carrots with Celery, Oregano and Olive Oil, recipe below. This was the first time I pickled with olive oil and I have to say the end product turned out really great.

Pickled Carrots with Celery, Oregano and Olive Oil (from The Joy of Pickling, by Linda Ziedrich)

1/2 pound carrots, cut into 4-inch stalks
1/2 teaspoon pickling salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed black peppercorn
1 large or 2 small celery stalks, cut into 4-inch stalks, and the celery tops
1 oregano sprig- I substituted a teaspoon of Herbes de Provence
1 dried hot pepper- I substituted a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine vinegar- I substituted 3/4 cups cider vinegar and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Blanch carrots in boiling water

2. Put salt and peppercorns into a pint jar. Pack the celery, carrots and celery tops, herbs, and hot peppers into the jar. Pour enough vinegar to cover the carrots and celery. Add the oil and close jar tightly.

3. Refrigerate the jar for at least a day. Will keep for least 2 months. Serve them at room temperature.

The second recipe we cheated and used a Kosher Dill Pickle Mix pre-mix packet by Ball. I am so curious what the easy way out tastes like. I sent a jar home with my mom and kept a few for myself. I will let you know in three weeks how they turned out.

http://www.freshpreservingstore.com/ball-kosher-dill-pickle-mix-1-8-oz/shop/382730/

PICKLE DOG While celebrating Independence Day in the CO...

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:44:00 -0600

PICKLE DOG

While celebrating Independence Day in the CO mountains, we happened upon some serious festival food and a Pickle Dog. Similar to a corn dog, but so much better. A dill pickle is hollowed out, and the hot dog is inserted into the pickle, the stick is added and into the fryer it goes. While the Pickle Dog gets a A+ for originality, the taste was just a C. But, of course we had to try it!

In other news, I got several organic veggies delivered today and frequented a farmers market yesterday. So I will be pickling up a storm this week and expect some new recipe posts soon.

Stay salty,

The Pickle Chick

Pickles on the road continued. South Carolina

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:08:17 -0600

Pickles on the road continued. South Carolina

Don’t mind if I do!

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:07:15 -0600

Don’t mind if I do!

Pickles on the road.

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:37:37 -0600

Pickles on the road.

PINTEREST PICKLING

Mon, 28 May 2012 20:47:36 -0600

My husband and I spent a wonderful holiday weekend up in the mountains at my parents CO mountain ranch. We enjoyed a lot of great food, relaxing, nature and laughs. My mom found the below recipe via Pinterest, and it looks so good that I wanted to share.

VIRGINIA’S PICKLED VEGETABLES
Serves 8 to 10

Source: http://virginiawillis.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/heartland/

1 cucumber
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
8 cups assorted cut vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower florets, green beans, wax beans, and small okra
6 cups distilled white vinegar
2 cup sugar
¾ cup kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, cut into slivers
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
4 small red peppers

Prepare an ice-water bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Remove alternating stripes of peel from the cucumbers. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside. Place the 8 cups of vegetables in the boiling water and let cook until vibrant in color but still firm, 1-2 minutes. Drain the vegetables well in a colander, and then set the colander with the vegetables in the ice-water bath (to set the color and stop the cooking), making sure the vegetables are submerged. Drain well. Set aside.

Place ½ the red onion, garlic, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in the bottom of a large seal-able bowl or jar. Transfer the blanched vegetables to the jar, layering to alternate the color and texture. Layer in remaining ½ onion, cucumber, and peppers.

Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the mixture comes to just under a boil. Pour mixture directly over vegetables and spices. Depending on the size container and the size of the vegetables you may not use all of the vinegar. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Cover or seal and store refrigerated, stirring occasionally, for at least 48 hours. Serve well-chilled.

A HISTORY OF PICKLE LOVERS I just got back from a great trip to...

Sun, 20 May 2012 20:43:00 -0600

A HISTORY OF PICKLE LOVERS

I just got back from a great trip to my family homeland of western Kansas. While I lived in Denver my whole life, I still have a lot of family in Kansas, and it is great to get back to my midwestern roots every once in a while. My mom and I started quizzing my beautiful Grandma about her childhood and our ancestors. I learned a lot about my German roots, my Grandma’s life, but I also learned that she LOVES pickles. I knew I was coming from a lineage of canning queens, but I had no idea about the extent of my Grandma’s pickle love. Every day at 2pm she requests that her nurse brings her one dill pickle, a bread and butter pickle and an assortment of olives. When my mom inquired about her salt intake my very funny, strong Grandma said, “I am 84 and I will eat what I want.” Touché Grandma, touché. As a parting gift, I gave her a jar of the Dutch Lunch Spears and hope she loves them. I also heard that my great aunt and great grandma were dill pickle makers and I am anxiously asking all my relatives if they have their recipes – I knew it was part of my genes!

PICKLES! A little weekday treat. Hopefully these Dutch Spears...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:19:42 -0600

PICKLES!

A little weekday treat. Hopefully these Dutch Spears turn out as good as the last batch.

THE SCIENCE OF PICKLING

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:34:08 -0600

THE SCIENCE OF PICKLING:

Great site that explores the science, fermentation and philosophy behind pickling. There are also great recipes and facts, like this one: Pickling vegetables not only improves their flavor, it can also make them more nutritious and easier to digest. During fermentation, bacteria produce vitamins as they digest vegetable matter. Also, if the salting causes a vegetable to lose water, the fat-soluble vitamins will become more concentrated. According to Korean scientists, kimchi (a traditional pickled cabbage dish in Korea) contains as much as double the levels of vitamins B1, B2, B12, and niacin as unfermented cabbage contains.

PICKLED ASPARAGUS This was probably the quickest and easiest...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:04:26 -0600

PICKLED ASPARAGUS

This was probably the quickest and easiest pickle recipe that I have made to date. It was trimmed asparagus, garlic cloves, peppercorns, whole coriander seeds, all spice berries and hot red pepper flakes; mixed with 2 ½ cups white wine vinegar, 2 ½ cups water, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 ½ teaspoons pickling salt. Boil in a water bath for 20 minutes (10 at lower altitude). Done. Now I just have to wait three weeks to enjoy…

MR. LEBOVITZ’S PICKELD RADISH RECIPE A friend forwarded this...

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:42:00 -0600

MR. LEBOVITZ’S PICKELD RADISH RECIPE

A friend forwarded this recipe to me from the blog à la the renowned David Lebovitz. I am so excited to try these. He suggests “they’re great alongside a fatty hunk of French pâté, or slivered and strewn over a steaming bowl of Korean Bibimbap for lunch or dinner. But probably not for breakfast.”

Picked Radishes: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2012/04/pickled-radishes-recipe/

One pint jar

Interestingly, I did an online search to find out what kind of radishes these were – as I was certain inquiring minds might want to know – and the best term I came up with was “long red radishes.” It seems like there are quite a few varieties of long red radishes. I wouldn’t get my knickers in a knot over what type of radish to use – round, daikon, or another long radish would work.

If you use regular round radishes, there’s no need to peel them. Although be sure to wash them well, since they can be sandy. I didn’t add herbs to this batch, but you can pack in a bay leaf, some tarragon, or a few sprigs of fresh dill in the jar before closing it up.

1 bunch or 4 long radishes (about 1-pound, 400 g of radishes)

1 cup water

1 cup white vinegar

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons sugar or honey

1/2 teaspoon crushed peppercorns

1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled

optional: 1 chile pepper, split lengthwise

1. If using long radishes, peel them. Trim off the leaves and roots and slice thickly (as shown.)

2. In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar or honey to a boil, until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and add the peppercorns, garlic and chile, if using.

3. Pack the radishes in a clean pint-sized jar, and pour the hot liquid over them, adding the garlic and chile into the jar as well.

4. Cover and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

Storage: The radishes will be ready to eat after 24 hours. During storage, the liquid will turn a nice rosy color and flavors -such as garlic and hot peppers – will get stronger. The radishes can be kept in the refrigerator for up to one month.

MAKE YOUR BBQ A PICKLED SUCCESS I found the below article and...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:07:00 -0600

MAKE YOUR BBQ A PICKLED SUCCESS

I found the below article and recipes, and I am excited to start incorporating the baguette topped with pickled goods and cheese into every spring and summer BBQ that my husband and I will be hosting. Pictured is our new patio set that we are anxious to start enjoying. Good friends, good food, good vino and good pickles!

Article and Recipes found via

http://www.homeandgardenideas.com/entertaining/cocktail-parties/hosting/perfect-cocktail-party-foods-spring-2012

Once only the lowly accompaniment to diner sandwiches and grilled burgers, the pickle is on its way up in the world, although not the pale green gherkin with which we’re so familiar. Other vegetables like beets, radishes, carrots, celery, peppers, and cauliflower done in pickle form are the latest trend, and they make a bold, bright topping for creamy or cheese-based hors d’oeuvres, such as a crostini topped with goat cheese.

To start, simply slice up a good quality baguette, brush with olive oil, and bake in a 400-degree oven for about eight minutes or so. Spread goat cheese on each slice, top with some chopped pickles (peppers are a good choice), then sprinkle some chopped chives, salt, and drizzle with more olive oil.

Want to make your own pickles? You can prepare them well in advance, making for easy day-of-the-party assembly. Try roasting some beets, then bring 1 ¾ cups of sugar, 2 cups of water, 2 cups of distilled white vinegar, 6 cloves of garlic, 2 cinnamon sticks, ½ teaspoon allspice berries, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, and 3 dried chilies to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes, then pour over the beets. Allow to cool, and then refrigerate.

You could also pickle radishes by tossing a dozen halved radishes in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of sea salt, then letting them stand for 20 minutes to drain some of the moisture content. Meanwhile, bring ¼ cup sugar, 1 cup distilled white vinegar, and a branch of rosemary to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Drain the radishes, put in a jar, pour the vinegar mixture over top, and let it cool before refrigerating. For pickled carrots or cauliflower, bring 2 cups of sherry vinegar, 1 cup of sugar, and ¼ cup kosher salt to a boil for three minutes, then add cut up veggies and let simmer for six or seven minutes. Cool and then chill.

I cannot wait to make and try these Sweet and Spicy Grilled...

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 10:43:01 -0600

I cannot wait to make and try these Sweet and Spicy Grilled Pickles. http://mobile.seriouseats.com/2012/04/grilling-sweet-and-spicy-grilled-pickles.html

DUTCH LUNCH SPEARS Over 130 years later I think Ms....

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:02:54 -0600

DUTCH LUNCH SPEARS

Over 130 years later I think Ms. Ewing’s quote still holds true, and of course, I am very guilty of it. In the spirit of pickles, I made a couple of quarts last night and mixed up my own pickling spices, which will be an easy go-to over and over. The recipe I used was adapted from an old Mennonite recipe and promises to appeal to people who like bold flavors.