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Pickled vegetables
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| Whether in oil, vinegar or brine, it is possible to preserve the freshness and taste of seasonal vegetables for many months. If you make them yourself you can enjoy the pleasure of cooking as well as creating unusual gifts for any occasion, while rediscovering an ancient tradition which is worth reviving to allow you to always have natural ingredients to hand. It is a pastime which is less trouble than you think if you follow a few simple rules. |
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UTENSILS AND BASIC INGREDIENTS |
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| 1. |
To prepare high quality pickled vegetables you must first choose some basic ingredients with care. Apart from personal taste, it is worth bearing the seasonal nature of vegetables in mind, preferably using kitchen garden vegetables rather than commercially grown varieties. Better still, use vegetables of organic origin, which are therefore not treated with chemicals. As far as the utensils are concerned, it is always best to use pans of stainless steel for cooking, avoiding aluminium in any case. In fact, leaving food to stand in aluminium pans could give rise to bacteria growth in the scratches or dents which often form on utensils made of this soft metal. Sterilised glass jars are essential, as well as the special plastic nets which hold the vegetables in place to assist with hermetic sealing of the lid. A set of scales, a measuring jug and a colander for washing the vegetables in would also be useful, and, if large quantities of preserves are prepared, an electric steriliser.
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| 2. |
To wash the vegetables, it is sufficient to place them in a large colander and rinse them under running water, avoiding lengthy immersion as they could deteriorate. After washing and drying, it is often necessary to generously salt the vegetables to eliminate any bitter fluids. Depending on the recipe, the vegetables can either be left whole, sliced or cut into small pieces. With regard to the glass jars, it is best to choose small sized ones to allow the contents to be used quickly after opening. After sealing the jars, it is useful to label them with regard to content, and above all, to record the exact date they were produced, including the expiry date, which ranges from six months to one year according to the type of vegetable used. For everyday use a simple sticky label is sufficient, but if you want to give them as gifts it is best to use card and ribbon to secure the lid once it has been covered with a piece of coloured material.
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Ideal as an accompaniment, preserves in oil can be made with almost any vegetable, the only rule being that you should only use olive oil of the finest quality. The best are those from Liguria or Tuscany, which are more delicate, but for highly seasoned preserves the stronger, more decided flavour of oils from southern Italy are perfectly acceptable. As well as aubergines, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and artichokes are ideal to preserve in oil, with the addition, perhaps, of some fresh herbs, such as bay leaves or a few peppercorns.
The method is very simple: after washing, drying and cutting into small pieces or slices, the vegetables should be blanched in water and vinegar for a few moments and then dried on kitchen paper. They can now be placed in sterilised jars and covered with oil, avoiding empty spaces or air bubbles. They will be ready to use after a couple of weeks and should be consumed within the following twelve months.
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Perfect as part of an appetising antipasto, pickles have many uses in the kitchen and are essential in the preparation of sauces and pasta or rice salads. Sweet peppers, cucumbers, beetroot and cauliflower are suitable for this purpose, possibly mixed together to create the classic Giardiniera, with the addition of carrots and baby onions.
Proceeding as for pickles in oil, the vegetables must be carefully washed and salted, if necessary, to eliminate any bitterness. After cutting into pieces and blanching in water and vinegar for a few minutes, they must be left to dry completely on a clean cloth for at least two hours. At this point they are ready to be placed in the sterilised jars and covered with vinegar before being hermetically sealed. Either red or white vinegars can be used, according to the ingredients, flavouring according to taste with rosemary, rose petals or raspberries. Store in a cool place; they will keep for a maximum eight to twelve months.
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Although less tasty than oil and vinegar pickles, brine pickles allow you to have a variety of natural, quality vegetables available all year round. Vegetables such as asparagus, peas, carrots, courgettes, and different types of cabbages are ideal for this type of pickling and can be prepared following this simple recipe. After washing and cutting the vegetables in pieces, they must be blanched for a few moments in salted water and allowed to dry completely on a tea-towel. They can now be placed in sterilised jars and covered with preserving liquid obtained by mixing 8 grams of salt to every litre of cold water. For this type of pickle it is best to carry out a double sterilisation of the jars, before and after filling, leaving them in boiling water for at least an hour.
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