It's Pickling Time Again
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We’ve picked up some new subscribers in the past week or so, and as I get this newsletter back up and running, I want to share a few favorite recipes from the archives. Next week, I’ll have something new for you—a one-of-a-kind ice cream recipe from our first print publication, Marika Josephson’s Aromatic Wild Herbs and Spices of the Midwest, which we’ll be shipping out at the end of September.
Today, as I look out at our garden, which is finally looking lush after a couple of hot, dry months, I’m thinking about pickles. For the past year, I’ve been making easy refrigerator pickles with variations on this recipe from Elliott Papineau of The Farm in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It’s worth revisiting as we get to the end of summer. You don’t need to be a pro to make these pickles, and they keep for months in the fridge. (The jars you pack today will be good til Thanksgiving.)
Elliott Papineau’s Master Brine
Makes enough for 6-8 quart jars of pickles
Use this brine for a variety of pickles. I’ve put okra, green beans, onions, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and all kinks of peppers into jars with this brine.
Ingredients
1 cup white wine or champagne vinegar
1 cup rice vinegar
½ cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. kosher salt
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. toasted coriander seeds
2 tsp. toasted fennel seeds
1 tsp. toasted black peppercorns
1 smoked, dried chili per jar (I use smoked togarashi)
1-2 cloves garlic per jar
1 sprig fresh dill per jar
1 sprig fresh tarragon per jar
Preparation
To prolong the life of your pickles, sterilize your jars by boiling them for at least 10 minutes, then hold them in an oven at 200 degrees until ready to use.
Add 4 cups water, vinegars, salt and sugar to a large stockpot. Bring to a boil.
Divide the toasted spices, chiles, garlic, and fresh herbs into sterilized quart jars. Pack each jar tightly with extremely fresh produce. Feel free to mix up the seasonings. Try adding some onion or fresh peppers to ratchet up the flavor.
Pour the hot brine over the produce until the contents are completely covered, to the shoulder of each jar. Wipe the mouth of each jar with a clean towel. Dry the rings and lids with a clean towel. Secure the lids.
Let the jars cool completely on the counter before moving to the refrigerator. Enjoy your pickles the next day or let the flavor to develop for up to three months.
Elliott Papineau’s lifelong passion for nature led him, along with his parents Rebecca and Alan, to start The Farm in Bourbonnais, Illinois. He and his wife of eleven years, Kristen, have three kids, Landon, Elise, and Aubrey. He has been featured in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, Midwest Living, and Four.