minapickle

A Selection of Pickles

From the Palooka Family Kitchen

This Page is dedicated to the Lady Aramina, and her love of Pickles. I've chosen a few that are a bit on the Gourmet side of 'Pickle-dom', but take the time and try them out.

Palooka Thumbles

Never eats fast food.

First up, is an pickle from India, Pickled Ginger is a great garnish for any meal. Not really to be eaten by itself from the jar, but adds great flavors when served with Lamb or chicken dishes like a fine chutney. This is a bit on the spicy side, but if you add more of the Jaggery power, it's almost sweet. A Great pickle experience!

Tamarind Ginger Pickle

Ingredients

1. 1/4 kg Ginger
2. Fresh Green chillies
3. Big Lemon size Tamarind
4. salt to taste (Palooka Prefers sea salt in this)
5. Turmaric powder-1tsp.
6. Jaggery powdered-2tsp (if you need it more sweet add little more)
7. Oil- enough to fry well the ginger and chilli
8. Mustard seed-1/2tsp

Preparation :

Cut the Giner very finely or grate it if you wish. Wash it, drain and set it aside. There should not be any water. Also cut the chillies very finey.

Heat the oil and fry the mustard seed. When it splutters add the ginger and chilli and fry while slowly adding the turmeric powder.

Squeeze the Tamarind and add the juice to the ginger and chillies. Mix them well. Add salt. Let it boil well and become thick. The oil will be now separated from the gravy. Now our pickle is done.

Before removing it from fire add jaggery mix well. This one is only optional. If you need it more spicy you need not add jaggery , on the other hand if you like it taste more sweet add more and enjoy your food.

Next is the Big Dill Pickle-athon recipie. Palooka's favorite time of the year is fall, when the cucumbers are just gettin a bit yellow at the ends. This one is geared for the die-hard Pickle folks.

Kosher Dill Style Pickles - Lots and Lots of them... Bah!

Select uniformly shaped, firm, fresh cucumbers about four to six inches (10 to 15 cm) long. Ingredient quantities are approximate due to variation in cucumber sizes and shapes.

1. 8 lb (3.6 kg) pickling cucumbers

2. 16 cups (4000 mL) cubed ice

3. 16 cups (4000 mL) water

3. 14 heads of fresh dill

4. 7 cloves garlic

5. 7 tbsp (100mL) fresh pickling spice

6. 3-1/2 dried red hot peppers (go to a Korean Market.. they have the best)

Pickling Liquid:

8 cups (2000 mL) white vinegar

7 cups (2000 mL) water

1 cup basalmic vinegar

Preparation:

Wash the cucumbers, scrubbing lightly with a soft vegetable brush. Rinse well in cool running water. Cut 1/8 slice off blossom end (opposite stem end) and discard. Layer cucumbers and ice in a large, deep glass or stainless steel container. Pour water over cucumbers, refrigerate overnight or at least 12 hours.

Place seven clean 1 liter mason jars in boiling water canner; fill with water, bring to a rolling boil. Boil Snap lids five minutes  not longer to soften sealing compound.

Combine vinegar, water and basalmic vinegar in large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil; simmer gently while packing jars.

In a hot jar, place one head of dill, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp (15 mL) pickling salt, 1 tsp (5 mL) pickling spice and 1/4 to 1/2 of a dried red pepper.

Pack cucumbers into a hot jar to within 3/4 inch (2 cm) of top rim. Place one head of dill on top. Add boiling liquid to cover cucumbers to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top rim (head space).

Using a non-metallic utensil, remove air bubbles. (kinda jiggle the cucumbers) Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness.

Centre Snap lid on jar, apply screw band securely until fingertip tight. Do not overtighten. Place jars in canner. Repeat for remaining cucumbers and liquid.

Cover canner; return water to a boil. Boil filled jars  15 minutes. Remove jars. Cool undisturbed 24 hours. Check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downward. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired.

Label and store in a cool, dark place.

Makes about seven 1 litre jars.

Note: Always follow pickle recipes exactly. Do not alter quantities of vegetables or vinegar as such changes can change the pH and lead to food spoilage. If a less sour pickle is desired, add sugar, but do not decrease the amount of vinegar. (Palooka mussed this up last time and had a BUNCH of rotten vegies in his pantry!!!)

Pickled Beet and Edive Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts.

(Palooka's Favorite of these recipies: It goes Great with Lamb)

Vinaigrette
1. 1 shallot, minced
2. 1/3 cup sherry wine vinegar
3. 1/2 cup vegie oil
4. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5. Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. 3 beets (larger is really not better in this recipie)
2. 2 cups Palooka Pickle Juice (1-1/2 cup Basalmic vinegar, 1/2 cup Red wine vinegar, 1tsp sea salt, pinch grated ginger, 1tsp raw sugar, and a couple minced garlic cloves)
3. 30 small Belgian endive leaves
4. 1 pear, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
5. 1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled (draw out liquid with a paper towel if ya have too.)
6. 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
7. Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

The vinaigrette: Place the shallots and sherry wine vinegar in a small bowl and slowly whisk in the canola and olive oils. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the beets: Peel the beets and place in a small saucepan with salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain the beets and cool slightly. Julienne the beets and place them in a medium bowl with the pickling juice for 2 hours. Drain, discarding the pickling juice. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the salad: In a large bowl, toss the endive, pear, goat cheese, and walnuts with the remaining vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the salad in the center of a large platter and top with the beets. Top with freshly ground black pepper.

Makes 8 servings.

Pickled Shrimps - For my wife... Palooka doesn't like seafood.

Around the Gulf and other coastal regions of the United States, Folks revel in shrimp. In this recipe, the shrimp are spiced twice, once while cooking and a second time in an overnight marinade.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

1.   2 pounds medium shrimp (about 64) shelled (leaving tails intact), and deveined
2.   2 teaspoons salt
3.   1/4 cup crab-boil spices (get this mix in the Cajun spice section of the supermarket)
4.   3/4 cup red-wine vinegar
5.   1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I store a bottle of oil with slivered garlic gloves in it,, try this.)
6.   1 tablespoon pickling spices (any brand is ok)
7.   1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
8.   5 bay leaves
9.   3 fresh thyme sprigs
10. 3 lemons, sliced thin

In a large saucepan of boiling water cook shrimp with salt and crab-boil spices until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain shrimp and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, pickling spices and salt and pepper to taste and add to shrimp. Add remaining ingredients and combine mixture well. Chill shrimp, covered, overnight.

Serve pickled shrimp slightly chilled.

OheeSo Baghi

Stuffed cucumber kimchi is one of those hot/cold dishes so welcomed on a sunny summer day. Countries with hot climates use chiles in abundance, and Korea is no exception. The heat from the chiles causes sweat, which cools the body as it evaporates, while the cold, crispness of the cucumbers refreshes. Kimchi, by the way, can be made with cabbage, radishes and many other vegetables, but it always includes a hefty dose of red chiles. It is the national dish of Korea, where no meal is served without at least one bowl of this spicy, condiment-like salad.

This is SPICY. Palooka was almost tragically killed by a dish of these pickles.. Be careful.

Ingredients

Note: you will need several sterilized jars for this recipe. or store in the refrigerator in tightly sealed tupperware.

1. 6 medium cucumbers

2. 3 tablespoons SEA salt. (don't use Mortons an muss this up.)

3. 3 cloves garlic, minced

4. 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced

5. 6 green onions, finely chopped

6. 1 Korean radish or several red radishes, julienned (get the Korean ones. Less bitter)

7. 4 tablespoons dried red chile powder (go to an asian market and get the Coursely Ground power- Kochu Karu is the best)

8. 1 tablespoon sugar

If the cucumbers have wax on them, peel them, if they're fresh leave the skin on! Cut them in half width-wise. Take each half then make two slits lengthwise at 90-degree angles to each other, cutting from the raw end almost to the base but not all the way through.

Rub salt on all sides of the cucumbers. Place cucumbers in a colander in the sink for 2 to 3 hours, or until wilted but still with some spring to them. While the cucumbers are draining, make the stuffing.

Stir together the garlic, ginger, green onion, radish, dried red chile powder and sugar.

Heat a pot of boiling water. After they have been salted and drained, quickly dip the cucumbers in the boiling water, swirl them around for 1 to 2 seconds to remove the excess salt, then plunge into ice water. Wipe the cucumbers dry then press the stuffing into the slits.

Place the cucumbers in the jars, cover tightly and let sit in a cool dark place for one day. (or in the fridge if using tupperware) Serve chilled within two or three days, while still crisp.