I’m keen to get people pickling everything, that way you will have a pantry full of go to show-stopping appetizers for summer parties and picnics.
Mike’s basic pickling brine base
Makes 1.25 litres
- 700 ml water
- 500 ml cider vinegar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp sea salt
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp each peppercorn, coriander seeds, fennel seed, mustard seed
Roast the seeds and combine with the other ingredients
Place all ingredients into a pot and bring to the boil, stirring until the salt and sugar has dissolved
Prepare vegetables and drop into the cooled pickle brine
Use this mix for things like
– Shredded cabbage for a pickled slaw on your pork sliders
– Baby carrots, fennel, cucumbers and onions for that platter
– Heat the mixer and pour over chilli’
– Mixed tomatoes, baby yellow, purple, roma, just blanch and remove the skins first
Base recipe with 5 Tbsp soya sauce for a dark pickle
– Mushrooms and baby onions
Base recipe a good glug of gin and 10 juniper berries
– Cucumbers, perfect for when the adults arrive
– Summer cherries, sweet and sour at its best
– Grapes