After having trouble finding pickled carrots here in the UK, I considered making my own pickles at home. It is sooo easy! You can even experiment with different vegetables or even fruits. This is my fuss free go to pickling mix. Use the pickles for a few recipes on the blog. The bonus is they are crunchier than the commercial jarred variety. My liquid was enough to cover a Kilner brand jar full of varied vegetables.
My jar was 400 ml., and I had plenty of liquid to cover the vegetables completly in the jar. If you need more just double the recipe. I did blanch my carrots and cauliflower in water beforehand, as they are too hard. The red bell pepper and onions do not need this step.
Have fun
Home-made Pickled Vegetables
Makes 1 400 ml. size jar
Should keep in fridge for 1-2 weeks
Flavours will intensify overtime
Make ahead 2 days before needed
Cut up as many vegetables as you need to completely fill your jar.
Baby cucumbers, ends trimmed and cut into half moons
Carrots, cut into slices
Cauliflower, cut into small florets, stems trimmed short
Small whole onions or larger ones, peeled quartered
Red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into small pieces
Garlic cloves halved
For the liquid
1 bay leaf, torn in half
100 g. Sugar
1 tbps. Fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. Whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. Corriander seeds (optional)
200ml. Rice wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
200 ml. Water
Cut up as many vegetables as you need to copletly fill your jar.
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat add peppercorns and corriander seeds and heat until fragrant, about 20-30 seconds.
Add vinegar, water, sugar, salt and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
Remove from heat and leave to steep about 15 minutes.
1. Blanch your cauliflower and carrots.
Bring a pot of water to the boil, add carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and immediately shock them in a large bowl of ice cold water.
Now add the cauliflower to boiling water, blanch 1 minute. Shock in cold water same as carrots.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat add peppercorns and corriander seeds and heat until fragrant, about 20-30 seconds. Add vinegar, water, sugar, salt and bay leaf.Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
3.Drain carrots and cauliflower and add to glass jar along with cucumbers, garlic and peppers. I also added a small red Bird's eye chilli, this is optional.
4. Slowly pour hot liquid into jar and completly cover vegetables. Leave uncovered at room temperature until completely cooled. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.
