FOOD & BEVERAGE
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Pickled Radishes 1 bunch or 4 red radishes (about 1 pound, 400g of radishes) 1 cup water 1 cup white vinegar 2 tsp sea salt 2 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp crushed peppercorns 1 to 2 cloves peeled garlic
Method
Pickling Made Simple!
H
umans learned to pickle foods centuries ago. We’ve enjoyed pickling almost everything since and have found a place for many of the resulting, newfound delicacies in our regular diets. As many ingredients are available only at certain times of the year, pickling’s primary purpose is to extend the shelf life of foods. The side benefit of the process is a vast assortment of new favourite foods! Pickling preserves foods when they’re soaked in brine and/ or vinegar or cured with salt. Another way to extend the life of certain food is by drying them completely, taking all the moisture out.
Bhushan Negi Glencoe Sous Chef 403-287-4150 bnegi@glencoe.org
We can pickle almost anything, from meats to fish and vegetables (not just cucumbers) to eggs. Making pickles at home is easy. You only need a handful of ingredients (vinegar, water, pickling salt and sugar). You need a little patience, too, as the foods need time for the acids to kick in. Tip: Don’t use iodized salt as it makes the brine cloudy. White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar are best to use. Brine for the pickle can vary, depending upon how much salt and acidity you prefer. I usually use equal parts of water and vinegar and about five percent salt and five percent sugar to the liquid.
Flavour your brine with whatever herbs you like! Add garlic or keep it plain. Make certain you take your brine out and give it a boil. For some veggies, use the hot brine. For others (especially delicate ones), let the brine cool first. Radishes are one of my favourite foods to pickle. They’re scrumptious with seafood (see sidebar for how to pickle them). A
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Slice the radishes into rounds. In a non-reactive (stainless steel) saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil, until they’re dissolved. Remove from heat and add the peppercorns and garlic. Pack the radishes in a clean pintsized jar and pour the hot liquid over them, adding the garlic into the jar as well. Cover and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
Storage The radishes will be ready to eat after 24 hours. During storage, the liquid will turn a nice, rosy colour. Any added flavour — garlic, hot peppers and other herbs — will get stronger. The radishes can be kept in the refrigerator for up to one month.
