Giardiniera is a pickle that uses any of a variety of vegetables. Essentally you can use whatever you have at hand. Some suggestions include celery, carrots, cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers or asparagus.
3 quarts of prepared vegetables (whatever you have, chopped into bite-sized pieces)
6 bay leaves
12 garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons peppercorns
6 oregano sprigs
4 teaspoons pickling salt
2 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
6 tablespoons olive oil
Put 1 bay leaf, 2 garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon peppercorns into 6 pint jars.
Pack the vegetables into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Add an oregano sprig to each jar.
In a non-reactive pan boil the vinegar, water salt. Dissolve the salt.
Pour the liquid over the vegetables, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Top each jar with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Close the jars with hot two-piece lids and boiling-water bath them for 20 minutes.
Store them in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks before eating.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Marinated Mushrooms
12 dried shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup olive oil
1 pound small button mushrooms (cleaned)
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 shallots, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teasp0on dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
4 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon pickling salt
Put the shitake mushrooms into a blow and pour boiling water over them. Let them soak for 5 minutes and then drain them.
In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Saute the mushrooms over medium low heat until they are tender, about 15 minutes. Set them aside in a bowl.
In a non-reactive pan, simmer the garlic, shallots and vinegar. Add the herbs, bay, salt and remaining olive oil.
Pour the liquid over the mushrooms.
Pack the mushrooms and their liquid into a jar (or jars).
Store the mushrooms in the refrigerator for a week before eating.
1/2 cup olive oil
1 pound small button mushrooms (cleaned)
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 shallots, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teasp0on dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
4 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon pickling salt
Put the shitake mushrooms into a blow and pour boiling water over them. Let them soak for 5 minutes and then drain them.
In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Saute the mushrooms over medium low heat until they are tender, about 15 minutes. Set them aside in a bowl.
In a non-reactive pan, simmer the garlic, shallots and vinegar. Add the herbs, bay, salt and remaining olive oil.
Pour the liquid over the mushrooms.
Pack the mushrooms and their liquid into a jar (or jars).
Store the mushrooms in the refrigerator for a week before eating.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Pickle Recipes - Snap Beans
2 Pounds Trimmed Snap Beans
6 small dried chile peppers
6 garlic cloves, corsely chopped
12 crushed black peppercorns
6 dill heads
1/2 cup pickling salt
3 quarts water
Layer the beans, peppers, garlic, peppercorns and dill in a 1 gallon jar.
Dissolve the salt into the water.
Power enough brine over the beans to cover them.
Put a freezer bag into the mouth of the jar and fill the bag with brine and seal the bag.
Within 3 days you should see tiny bubbles forming in the jar. Skim off any skum that forms and rinse the bag daily.
The pickles will be ready in about 2 weeks when the bubbles have stopped and the beans are sour.
Remove the brine bag, skim off any skum and cap the jar. Store the jar in the fridge.
6 small dried chile peppers
6 garlic cloves, corsely chopped
12 crushed black peppercorns
6 dill heads
1/2 cup pickling salt
3 quarts water
Layer the beans, peppers, garlic, peppercorns and dill in a 1 gallon jar.
Dissolve the salt into the water.
Power enough brine over the beans to cover them.
Put a freezer bag into the mouth of the jar and fill the bag with brine and seal the bag.
Within 3 days you should see tiny bubbles forming in the jar. Skim off any skum that forms and rinse the bag daily.
The pickles will be ready in about 2 weeks when the bubbles have stopped and the beans are sour.
Remove the brine bag, skim off any skum and cap the jar. Store the jar in the fridge.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Pickle Recipes - Quick Dills
4 pounds cucumbers washed and stemmed
1/4 cup black peppercorns
1 garlic bulb
6 small chile peppers (if you like spicy)
6 dill heads with fronds
2 3/4 cups vinegar (cider vinegar preferred)
3 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt
The peppercorns, peppers, and garlic are all optional but they do make for some tasty pickles.
Put the spices into your jars (6 pints).
Put your cucumbers and dill into the jars.
Put everything else into a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until the salt is dissolved.
Pour the brine over the cucumbers. Leave 1/2 inch headspace.
Close the jar with hot two-piece caps.
Boiling-water bath for 10 minutes (15 minutes if you use quarts).
Store in a cool, dark place for about a month and then enjoy!
1/4 cup black peppercorns
1 garlic bulb
6 small chile peppers (if you like spicy)
6 dill heads with fronds
2 3/4 cups vinegar (cider vinegar preferred)
3 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt
The peppercorns, peppers, and garlic are all optional but they do make for some tasty pickles.
Put the spices into your jars (6 pints).
Put your cucumbers and dill into the jars.
Put everything else into a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until the salt is dissolved.
Pour the brine over the cucumbers. Leave 1/2 inch headspace.
Close the jar with hot two-piece caps.
Boiling-water bath for 10 minutes (15 minutes if you use quarts).
Store in a cool, dark place for about a month and then enjoy!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Pickle Recipes - Fried Dill Pickles
You can use pickle spears or pickle slices for frying dill pickles.
Here is a quick and easy recipe:
1 egg
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
Beat the egg and the buttermilk together, throw in your pickles. Set these aside for a minute.
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspon baking powder
picnch of salt
Mix all that together. Toss your egg-coated pickles in the flour mixture until they are evenly coated with flour. Then drop them into hot oil (375 degrees) and fry until golden brown (about 2 minutes).
If you are feeling adventurous add 1/2 teaspon chile powder (or more if you like) to your flour mixture. You can also try garlic powder, onion powder or ground mustard (or all of them) to give your fried pickles a unique flavor.
Here is a quick and easy recipe:
1 egg
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
Beat the egg and the buttermilk together, throw in your pickles. Set these aside for a minute.
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspon baking powder
picnch of salt
Mix all that together. Toss your egg-coated pickles in the flour mixture until they are evenly coated with flour. Then drop them into hot oil (375 degrees) and fry until golden brown (about 2 minutes).
If you are feeling adventurous add 1/2 teaspon chile powder (or more if you like) to your flour mixture. You can also try garlic powder, onion powder or ground mustard (or all of them) to give your fried pickles a unique flavor.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Pickle Recipes - Bread and Butters
There are dozens of bread and butter pickle recipes out there. I hope you like this one.
6 Pounds cucumbers, cleaned and sliced crosswise
2 pounds small onions, slicked into rounds
Ice
1/2 cup pickling salt
4 1/2 cups vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon celery seeds
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
Toss the cucumbers and onions with the salt.
Cover them with ice from 2 ice trays and let stand for 4 hours.
Drain the vegetables.
Put everything else into a pot and bring to a boil.
Add the vegetables and slowly bring it back toa boil.
Pack the vegetables into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Add brine, again leaving headspace.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Store in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks and then enjoy!
6 Pounds cucumbers, cleaned and sliced crosswise
2 pounds small onions, slicked into rounds
Ice
1/2 cup pickling salt
4 1/2 cups vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon celery seeds
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
Toss the cucumbers and onions with the salt.
Cover them with ice from 2 ice trays and let stand for 4 hours.
Drain the vegetables.
Put everything else into a pot and bring to a boil.
Add the vegetables and slowly bring it back toa boil.
Pack the vegetables into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Add brine, again leaving headspace.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Store in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks and then enjoy!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Pickle Recipes - Fennel Pickles
This is a large recipe but you can always cut it down.
3-4 Handfuls of grape leaves
15 pounds of pickling cucumbers
4 tablespoons peppercorns (I prefer black, but use what you have)
2 tablespoons whole allspice
Zest of 4 lemons
1/2 cup fennel seeds
16 fennel fronds
1 large bunch of parsley
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 gallons water
1 1/2 cup salt
Lay half the leaves in the bottom of your pickling crock. Wash your cucumbers. Layer the cucumers in the crock with teh pepper, allspice, lemon zest, fennel and parsley. Add the vinegar to the water and dissolve the salt to make your brine. Cover the cucumbers with the brine. Spread the remaining grape leaves on top. Weight the cucumbers down to keep them submerged. You can use a plastic bag filled with leftover brine or with a plate topped with a clean weight. Cover the crock with a cloth and store it at room temperature.
You will see bubbles forming in the brine within 3 days. If white scum forms on top of the birn, skim it off once per day and clean off your weights. The pickles will be ready in 2 to 3 weeks when the bubbles have stopped forming and the pickles are sour and pickle green throughout.
Once fermentation is complete, strain off the brine into a non-reactive pot. Bring the brine to a boil and then simmer it for 5 minutes. Skim of the scum that forms. Then let it cool. Rinse the pickles in cold water and drain them.
If you are going to store the pickles in the fridge, pack them into jars and cover them with the cooled brine. You can add fresh spices if you want.
If you are going to can them, pack the pickles into jars, cover them with hot brine (leaving 1/2 inch of headspace) and boiling-water bath them for 10 minues for pints or 15 minutes for quarts.
3-4 Handfuls of grape leaves
15 pounds of pickling cucumbers
4 tablespoons peppercorns (I prefer black, but use what you have)
2 tablespoons whole allspice
Zest of 4 lemons
1/2 cup fennel seeds
16 fennel fronds
1 large bunch of parsley
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 gallons water
1 1/2 cup salt
Lay half the leaves in the bottom of your pickling crock. Wash your cucumbers. Layer the cucumers in the crock with teh pepper, allspice, lemon zest, fennel and parsley. Add the vinegar to the water and dissolve the salt to make your brine. Cover the cucumbers with the brine. Spread the remaining grape leaves on top. Weight the cucumbers down to keep them submerged. You can use a plastic bag filled with leftover brine or with a plate topped with a clean weight. Cover the crock with a cloth and store it at room temperature.
You will see bubbles forming in the brine within 3 days. If white scum forms on top of the birn, skim it off once per day and clean off your weights. The pickles will be ready in 2 to 3 weeks when the bubbles have stopped forming and the pickles are sour and pickle green throughout.
Once fermentation is complete, strain off the brine into a non-reactive pot. Bring the brine to a boil and then simmer it for 5 minutes. Skim of the scum that forms. Then let it cool. Rinse the pickles in cold water and drain them.
If you are going to store the pickles in the fridge, pack them into jars and cover them with the cooled brine. You can add fresh spices if you want.
If you are going to can them, pack the pickles into jars, cover them with hot brine (leaving 1/2 inch of headspace) and boiling-water bath them for 10 minues for pints or 15 minutes for quarts.
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