Garden pickles capture summer
The nice thing about gardening
– even on a small plot – is the stunning amount of food that can
be pried from the earth. The worst thing about gardening is the
amount of food that can be pried from the earth and the
accompanying guilt when some of it goes to waste.
We’ve all been visited with midnight
”
gifts
”
of zucchini, a plant that’s so productive that it should be
illegal to sell seedlings in six-packs.
Garden pickles capture summer
The nice thing about gardening – even on a small plot – is the stunning amount of food that can be pried from the earth. The worst thing about gardening is the amount of food that can be pried from the earth and the accompanying guilt when some of it goes to waste.
We’ve all been visited with midnight “gifts” of zucchini, a plant that’s so productive that it should be illegal to sell seedlings in six-packs.
Salvation for those whose gardens are burdening them with their generosity comes in a few cases of canning jars. Putting up just-picked vegetables is one of the best ways to carry summer’s essence into winter.
In May, I shared a recipe for dilly beans from the U.C. Cooperative Extension. Our own beans have finally crossed the abundance line, so last Saturday, we put some up using my mother-in-law’s recipe. It relies on dill seed rather than fresh sprigs for a more pronounced dill flavor. It also has less salt and a spicy kick from garlic and chili. It’s the best recipe I’ve ever encountered.
Actually, our green – or snap – beans are not just green. They’re mixed with yellow and purple pods. After plucking a sack full last Saturday, we set to work. The canner came off the shelf and enough water to deliver triplets was set to a boil.
Dilly beans are a favorite for two reasons. First, they’re delicious. Second, a batch can be assembled from start to finish in just an hour or so. Traditional cucumber pickle recipes require a prolonged bath in brine. That involves submerging the gherkins in saltwater for days, adding a bit of salt each day and skimming scum from the surface daily. Anything involving scum skimming loses a certain amount of its appeal. And babysitting pickles for many days before popping them into jars seems more akin to a long-term relationship rather than a quick date with the kitchen.
There are pickle recipes that skip the brining, and good thing, or we’d see a lot fewer jars of home-canned pickles.
In a few weeks, the main crop of figs will come in. Figs are the okra of the fruit world; people either love them or hate them. But last year, I pickled a batch of figs using a recipe from the “Ball Blue Book.” The response was positive, so you get that one, too.
Margy’s dilly beans
1 ½ lbs. green beans
2 c. distilled vinegar
2 c. water
2 tbsp. canning or Kosher salt (iodine can discolor pickles)
3 dried chilies
3 cloves garlic, peeled
4 ½ tsp. dill seed
1 ½ tsp. mustard seed
4 sprigs fresh dill (optional)
Sterilize three pint-sized canning jars in a boiling water bath. Remove inserts from two-part lids and boil.
Wash, top and tail beans and blanch for one minute in boiling water before plunging them in cold water to stop cooking. Mix vinegar, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.
Pack the beans into hot jars, adding 1 ½ tsp. of dill seed, ½ tsp. mustard seed, a chili, garlic clove and optional sprig of dill to each. Pour the vinegar mixture to ¼ inch below the rim of each jar, tapping to remove bubbles. Set lids on the jars and return to the boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Remove, place on towels and, after the jars have cooled, check to ensure that the lids are sealed.
Now for the hard part: don’t open any for a month to let the flavors develop. Our daughter avers that the wait makes the beans kind of like a Christmas present. I think it’s just plain wrong, but so far she’s prevailed.
Pickled figs
4 qts. firm, ripe figs (about 30)
5 c. sugar, divided
2 qts. water
3 c. cider vinegar
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tbsp. whole allspice
1 tbsp. whole cloves
Peel figs, if desired (I don’t). If left unpeeled, pour boiling water over figs and let stand until cool; drain. Combine 3 cups sugar and water, cooking until sugar dissolves. Add figs and cook slowly 30 minutes. Add 2 cups sugar and vinegar. Tie spices in a spice bag and add to figs. Cook gently until the figs are translucent. Cover and let stand 12 to 24 hours in a cool place. Remove spices. Bring mixture to a simmer. Pack hot figs and liquid into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Process pints and quarts 15 minutes in a boiling water canner. Yield is about eight pints or four quarts.
While most of us will improvise a little, it’s important not to adjust sugar, salt and acid levels in canned foods to avoid spoilage.
