A Quick Pickle, Japanese Style
Pickles are an easy way to add acidity to a dish, especially raw fish or salads, or to serve as a side to roasted meat. This very light pickle base is a flavoring pickle; it’s not intended to preserve the fruit or vegetable but rather to add a sweet-and-sour punch. This is my go-to pickle base because it pickles both fruits and vegetables without overpowering their flavor or causing them to lose their natural crunch. The pickle base is made from equal parts (by volume) water, white wine, rice vinegar, and sugar. The amount of liquid you need depends on the amount of produce you’re pickling. Get creative with what you pickle! Make a big batch and store it in your refrigerator for a simple way to elevate your meals throughout the week.
Ingredients
Yield is variable
PICKLING LIQUID
- Water
- Dry white wine
- Rice vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
COLD PICKLE IDEAS
- Melon cubed, with mint leaves
- Onions sliced
- Peaches sliced, with basil leaves
- Plums quartered
HOT PICKLE IDEAS
- Beets roasted and cubed
- Carrots sliced, with whole jalapeños
- Cucumbers whole
- Eggplant blanched and cubed
- Turnips blanched
- Zucchini cubed
Instructions
- In a small pot on high heat, add equal amounts of water, wine, vinegar, and sugar and stir to combine.
- (Be sure the liquid will fully cover your chosen mixture of vegetables, fruits, and herbs when it’s poured into the pickling ) Bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. container.
- Add salt to taste.
- From here, you can go one of two ways.
- If you’re pickling a soft fruit or vegetable, let your pickling liquid cool to room temperature before pouring it over the top.
- If you’re pickling a tougher vegetable, pour the liquid directly over the fruits or vegetables while it’s still hot.
- Put your chosen vegetables, fruits, and a handful of herbs into a jar and pour in the pickling liquid.
- Cover the jar and put it in your refrigerator to pickle for at least 24 hours or up to 2 weeks.
