Summertime Quick Pickling

As we sweat through the dog days of summer, it's easy to forget that the cold bite of winter will soon be upon us. While it's not possible to bottle up the warmth of the season, it is possible to capture the taste of summer by pickling some of your vegetables. It's not as hard or time consuming as you would think, it's a great way to savour the bounty from local farmer's markets, and it adds a little something to a meal no matter what season.




Ingredients / Equipment

vegetables (cucumber; baby carrots, cauliflower, green beans, okra, onions, radishes, zucchini)
equal parts water and vinegar (enough to cover the vegetables, ratio can be adjusted according to tastes)
30 g granulated sugar
30 g kosher salt
15 g brown mustard seeds
5 g whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
enough canning jars for your vegetables

1. Pack your vegetable of choice tightly in a glass jar, leaving about 1 cm of room at the top. Place each vegetable in its own jar as vegetables pickle differently and at different rates.
   
   Note: Crunchy vegetables, like carrots, should be boiled a little before pickling; delicate vegetables such as cucumber and zucchini, don’t need to be cooked ahead of time.
   
2. Toast the mustard seeds and peppercorns in a saucepan over medium heat for about two minutes, or until fragrant . Add the remaining ingredients and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, and bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Pour the brine into the jar immediately, covering the vegetables completely. Allow about an hour for the mixture to cool to room temperature, then tightly seal the jar. Shake it or rotate it to evenly distribute the brine and spices, then store in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours and preferably a week before using. Your vegetables should last for about a month.