Let's set the scene - it's Saturday morning, and the family has just finished breakfast. You're cleaning out the fridge, looking through leftovers and making sure that nothing goes to waste. You've got a bit of this, a bit of that, and still nothing that would go together to make the perfect soup, casserole, or salad. You scratch your head and wonder ... what next?
DON'T JUST STAND THERE - QUICK PICKLE IT!
You heard me right. Pickling can be quick, as long as you have the fridge space for it. Here's a perfect example for you of what I mixed up late this summer.
from left to right: baby carrots, broccoli, turmeric cauliflower & bell peppers
Quick pickling (or fridge pickling) is an easy way to save leftovers for later. If you have enough to fit in a jar, you can pickle it. The recipe is easy to remember as well - 1+1+1.
Basic Pickling Liquid:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
Then you can put whatever you want into the jars!
- The baby carrots (leftover from a work function veggie platter) have garlic & basic pickling spices (pre-mixed from the grocer) added.
- The broccoli also has basic pickling spices plus red pepper flakes for a kick.
- The cauliflower has turmeric, coriander, black peppercorns & a bay leaf.
Add these treats to salads, soups, meals, appetizer plates - whatever!
from left to right: purple bush beans, a mix of banana pepper + radish + onion, and tongue of fire beans
Just remember that your prettier veggies will lose their colour into the pickling juice. All three of the jars pictured above look nothing like this anymore - and it doesn't matter, because they taste delicious!
Want to go extra double big and waste even less?
Drink the pickle juice
Apparently it's especially good for you in the summer when you're drinking lots of water, because it adds back in needed electrolytes. If you keep booze in the house, make a Pickleback (one shot whiskey + one shot pickle juice) or a Pickletini (2 oz pickle juice +3 oz vodka + crushed ice, shake, then pour).