Quick Pickled Veggies

Inspired by:  Recipe in Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine, May 2012  - Australia + Food = Love

Quick Pickled Veggies:  Makes enough for one large mason jar

• 1/2 English cucumber, washed and cut in thick slices and halved or in strips with a vegetable peeler
• 1 carrot - cut in slices and/or strips with a vegetable peeler 
• 1 radish, cut in thin wedges
• 2 or 3 fresh pea pods, peas removed
• 1/4 bulb of fresh fennel, cut in strips (keep the fronds to add to the jar for flavour)
• 1 celery branch, cut in diagonal slices
• 1 golden beet, peeled and thinly sliced
• fresh French green beans, washed and stem end cut off
• salt

Pickling brine:

• 1 cup of white vinegar
• 1 cup of water
• 5 tbsps of sugar
• 1 tbsp of pickling spices (mustard seeds, celery seeds, cayenne pepper, ginger, cloves, bay leaf)
• 2 green cardamon pods (optional)
• 1 tsp of whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes

Golden beet

English cucumber

Turnip radish

Fennel

Celery heart branch

Radish

Carrot

Fresh pea pod

How to make it:

Place all the cut vegetables in a bowl or shallow baking dish and sprinkle generously with sea salt.  Mix to coat them well and let them sit for 30 minutes (this will help to soften the raw vegetables).  Rinse well under cold water and dry with a clean dish towel or in a salad spinner.

Place all the pickling brine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Allow to simmer for a few minutes, ensuring the sugar is completely dissolved.   Put the rinsed/dried veggies in a mason jar and place the jar in the sink (for safety when pouring in hot liquid).  Pour the hot pickling brine in the jar and allow to cool completely.  Cap and keep in the fridge.  You can serve these a few hours after they are made otherwise, keep them in the fridge for a couple of weeks.   Serve on a bed of humus with some toasted baguette, drizzled with some olive oil - delicious!