Prep Time::15 mins
Cook Time::10 mins
Stand Time::1 day
Total Time::1 day 25 mins
Servings::16
Ingredients
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3 cups filtered water
3 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound radishes (or other VEGETABLES), trimmed, sliced or quartered if large
1 bunch fresh mint (or other HERBS), stemmed
2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns (or other KICK (such as peppercorns and/or chiles))
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Directions
To sanitize jar, put a 1-quart wide-mouthed canning jar in a 6- to 8-quart pot; cover with tap water. (You could also use multiple smaller wide-mouthed canning jars.) Bring to a boil; boil 10 minutes. Using tongs, carefully remove jar from pot, draining excess water; let jar cool slightly. Meanwhile, for brine, stir together filtered water and salt in a 1-quart measuring cup until salt is dissolved.
Add radishes (or other VEGETABLES), mint (or other HERBS), peppercorns (or other KICK), and garlic to jar. Veggies can be packed tightly; they will shrink and soften as they pickle. Fill jar with brine; you may have brine left over. Add a fermenting weight or an inverted, sanitized plastic lid to keep vegetables submerged.
Cover jar with a kitchen towel, securing with a rubber band. Let stand at room temperature for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days. You’ll start to see bubbles forming. The vegetables will become more tart and the brine will become cloudier the longer the pickles stand. Remove fermenting weight and screw on metal lid. Chill up to 3 weeks.
Variations: Pickled Cucumbers:
cucumbers + dill + 2 dried chiles de arbol
Pickled Carrots:
carrots + cilantro + 2 tablespoons fresh jalapeño slices
What the Dietitian Says:
Probiotics—foods or supplements that support a healthy microbiome by boosting beneficial bacteria in the gut—are found in some fermented foods, including these refrigerator pickles. Heat-treated jarred pickles won’t provide the same benefits. The jury is still out on how much and what types of probiotics provide whole-body benefits, but in the meantime these funky veggies add snap and pucker to sandwiches, salads, and snacks. –Kathryn Hendrix, RDN, LD