A good tasty use for a variety of vegetables is vinegar pickles. Unlike fermented pickles, which take weeks or months, these are ready to eat in a few minutes and will keep for a week. These pickles can be used in a variety of ways and are good to have on hand to brighten up a charcuterie plate—or as an hors d’oeuvre on their own. Prepare the pickling solution by combining all the ingredients listed below and bringing them to a boil. Cook each type of vegetable separately in this boiling brine, scooping them out when they are cooked but still a little bit crisp. Set them aside to cool. Once all the vegetables are cooked and cooled, and the pickling solution has cooled to room temperature, combine the vegetables, transfer to jars or another covered container, cover with the pickle brine, and refrigerate. Use this method to pickle little florets of cauliflower, sliced carrots, quartered pearl or cipolline onions, halved okra pods, small turnips cut into wedges with some of their stems still attached, whole green beans, small cubes of celery root, and more. Sometimes I just slice red onions very thin and pour the boiling brine over them. By the time they cool they will have cooked just enough, and they are delicious served with smoked fish and new potatoes. Feel free to alter the ingredients of the brine: try using red instead of white vinegar, or adding a bit of saffron, or other kinds of dried chiles, or fresh slices of jalapeño.
Ingredients
Preparation
For about 3 1/2 cups pickling brine, combine and bring to a boil: 1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar, 1 3/4 cups water, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 bay leaf, 4 thyme sprigs, Half a dried cayenne pepper or a pinch of dried chile flakes, 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, 2 whole cloves, 1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half, A big pinch of salt.
