Quick Pickled Vegetables

I don’t know why, but this weekend I had a hankering (yes, a real, honest-to-goodness hankering) for pickled vegetables. On the rare occasions when I get a bahn-mi for lunch, my very favorite part of the whole thing is the pickled vegetables. I always want double or triple the amount on the sandwich. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the salads at Green Leaf in the ID. I always ask for double the pickled vegetables.

So walking into Mair-Farm Taki’s booth at the University District Farmers Market this weekend and seeing daikon, the craving just hit me. I snatched up a huge daikon root and went searching for other vegetables I could add to the mix. I ended up with carrots, bamboo shoots, and sea beans as well, but really, you could add lots of different things. Jicama (no, it’s not local, but it would be damn tasty), asparagus, cucumbers, rhubarb, or green beans.

This recipe isn’t meant to be canned, the beauty of it is the crunch of the vegetables that comes from NOT cooking them. But still, since the vegetables are drenched in vinegar, they should last in a closed container in the fridge for at least 2 weeks (assuming you don’t eat them all in the first two days). We’ll have lots more pickling recipes as the season progresses.

Quick Pickled Vegetables

• 1 medium daikon
• 1 bunch carrots
• 1/2 lb bamboo shoots
• 1/2 lb sea beans
• 2 Tbsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes

1. Peel and cut the daikon and carrots into matchsticks (slices would work fine as well).
2. Slice the bamboo shoots in half lengthwise and peel off the outer several layers.
3. Boil the bamboo shoots in water for 5-7 minutes to soften and then transfer to a bowl of cold water until chilled.
4. Mix the vegetables in a bowl with the 2 Tbsp sea salt and set aside for one hour.
5. Drain and rinse the vegetables and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in sugar, vinegar, hot pepper flakes, and warm water.
6. Refrigerate for at least one hour and then enjoy.

Notes: You’ll want enough vinegar, water, and sugar to cover the vegetables. For every 1 cup of vinegar, add 1 cup of water, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/4 tsp of hot pepper flakes. The actual amounts of your pickling ingredients will depend on how large you daikon and carrots are and how many you use.

Related posts:

• Asparagus with Balsamic Rhubarb Reduction Asparagus is finally back at the farmers markets. At least...
• Pickled Carrots Perhaps I’ve mentioned Orangette in the past? Perhaps I’ve cursed...
• Shaved Carrot Salad with Blueberries and Dill When Michelle Obama was creating such a buzz over the...
• Carrots Week 4′s featured item is one of my favorites - carrots....

Tagged as: bamboo shoots, carrots, daikon, radishes