10-minute carrot and ginger pickle (and a salad to go with it)

 

 

 

If you ever bumped into Peter Rabbit, he would be sure to tell you that carrots are absolutely delicious, worth risking your life for in Mr. McGregor's garden. He would probably go on to tell you they are really healthy and he would ask you if you have ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses. Well, perhaps if you were four years old, and you had a very vivid imagination...

 

The truth is carrots may be good for you and quite tasty at that, but they are also pretty boring and not a vegetable you normally serve your guests, well aside from a few exceptions.

 

 

 

 

These on the other hand are sweet, they are sour, they are crunchy and they have some heat. They take 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to pickle. They last in the fridge for up to a few days, probably even more, but I can't vouch for it because they have never lasted that long in our home.

 

So far we have had these carrots in a lentil salad, the chickpea salad above, in mixed green salads, with cheese and cured meats and even alongside roast chicken. You can use the leftover pickling liquid in a salad dressing with olive oil and perhaps a drizzle of sesame oil or you can just spoon it into your mouth like my 8-year old did last week. 

 

 

 

Once again, I have to thank Lorraine for this brilliant tip and so should you ;o)

 

Ingredients

2 large carrots, peeled into ribbons or grated

1 or 2 tsp grated ginger

4 tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 or 4 tbsp quick-dissolving sugar (like icing sugar)

1 tbsp water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soy sauce

 

Mix together together the vinegar, sugar (I used a little under the 4 tablespoons indicated in the recipe) and salt until they dissolve completely. Add the water and soy sauce.

Peel the carrots into thin ribbons or grate them. Grate the ginger and mix into the carrots and then fit them into a jar about the size of a jam jar. Pour over the pickling liquid, making sure it completely covers the carrots. Close and pickle for about 10 minutes, turning the jar upside down halfway through. Use immediately or store in fridge for a few days.

 

 

Chickpea salad with feta, apples and pickled carrots

3 cups chickpeas

2 cups arugula

150gr feta cheese

handful fresh coriander, chopped

1/2 apple, sliced

pickled carrots, about half the amount above

 

I cooked the chickpeas, but you can just as easily use the canned variety. Rinse them well, chop up the arugula and coriander leaves, crumble in some feta cheese and add in the pickled carrots and the thinly sliced, bite-sized pieces of apple. Drizzle over some olive oil and lemon juice, mix and adjust for salt.

 

  

 

 

 

 



Pickled green beans

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers green beans;

A peck of pickled peppers green beans Peter Piper picked;

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers green beans,

Where's the peck of pickled peppers green beans Peter Piper picked?

Who ever thought I would pickle anything, let alone green beans?

The truth is, I have never had pickled green beans and I don't even know if I will like them (although my love for most things pickled makes me think I will). I was looking for a way to use up some green beans and saw a few pickling suggestions and my curiosity was piqued. I didn't have to buy anything and despite my misconceptions, there was no major prepping or waiting involved. To make my life even easier I used the non-boil method.

The jar has been sitting in my fridge for two days now. It looks nice and I am already imagining eating the green beans this evening alongside a nice piece of soft, strong cheese with a glass of wine to celebrate the week end.

Hope you all have a great one!

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup cider vinegar

1tbsp salt (pickling, rock or kosher)

any herb or ingredient you like

I washed out a mason jar with hot water and soap. To be extra careful, I rinsed it with some boiling water.

I then mixed the salt (pickling salt is suggested because it doesn't make the pickling liquid murky, but I read that rock or kosher salt are perfectly fine to use too) until dissolved with a cup of cider vinegar and a cup of water. I put my spices and other ingredients at the bottom of the jar. I think you can pretty much use anything you like and have on hand. I used a teaspoon of coriander seeds, a teaspoon of mustard seeds and a few kernels of pepper. I cut the tops and bottoms off of the string beans and put them in the jar standing up. I sliced a garlic clove and inserted it with a couple of small chili peppers in between the beans and then poured over the vinegar mixture. I sealed the jar and stored it in my fridge. They should be ready after 24-48 hours after making.