Thursday, September 5, 2013

End of the Garden…. Recipe

The garden is winding down and yet there is still more than we can eat most days.  It’s a good conundrum!

Enter….  End of the Garden Pickles. 

 

Got a a couple handfuls of green beans?  Not enough to freeze or can? 

How about a few too many cucumbers, but you can’t put up another jar of pickles or your shelf in the basement will collapse.

How about an herb garden loaded with dill just begging to be used.

Or a need for a creative use of Eggplant?

Your solution lies here.

Make a quick brine, pack in your veges, let cool and then refrigerate.  Easy Peasy

 

 

SycamoreLane Photography138-End of the Garden Pickles

 

 

WE are enjoying and savoring these end of garden treats, because now we really don’t have any cucumbers and the beans are dwindling, too.  Thankfully I made 6 quarts and we still have several that we haven’t devoured.  Want to make them?  Here’s the recipe I concocted after viewing at least 10 different versions.  Yep, you can thank me later for all the recipe hopping I saved you.

 

End of Garden Pickles

 

Brine:

10 cups soft water

3 1/2 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup salt

Mix in a large pot, cover and bring to a boil.

 

Prepare your vegetables.  I used the following:

I head of Cauliflower, cut in florets

4 handfuls of beans (my precise measuring here is astounding, I know)

6 pickling cucumbers, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

2 eggplant cut into slices

(I actually blanched my beans, carrots, and cauliflower for two minutes in boiling water and then placed them in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.  I think this worked great for these 3 harder vegetables.)

***You could also use celery, peppers, onions, etc. whatever you have on hand…. be creative.

 

Place in each hot sterilized jar:

1 head of dill

1 teaspoon mustard seed

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon black pepper corns

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Place your washed and prepared veges into the jars on top of your spices.  Then pour the hot brine over the vegetables.  Place on heat protected surface and let cool.  Once the jars are cool enough, put on the lids and place in the refrigerator.  Makes 7 quarts.

 

Wait 3-4 days before diving in…. if you can possibly restrain yourself… Joel couldn’t….  I really wasn’t surprised.

6 comments:

  1. Yumm! This reminds me a bit of what we call Chow-Chow (a PA dutch canned delicacy) - yours is way prettier, in my opinion.

    I may have to pin this one, now.;)

    ~~
    PS: I wanted to tell you that I'm enjoying reading your blog again (always have loved it) but because I have gotten a new(er) computer/screen, etc., recently. I can now read the WHOLE page...instead of half of it at a time. ;) It certainly is way more enjoyable, now.

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  2. Those look so yummy! Thanks for doing the recipe hopping for us! So according to Mr Hollywood, how were they?

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  3. Oh my darlin'...yes. This is good. Thank you..

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  4. They look beautiful and delicious!!!

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  5. Oh my goodness, that looks good! Your veggies look perfect, and I'm sure they taste even better.

    Something kind of interesting - food tastes different here in London than it did back home. Meat is the thing I've found that differs the most, but lots of veggies have a different flavor, too. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. But don't get me started on the eggs...I miss them the most!

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  6. Yummy! Your photos are always amazing my friend. Love you! XOXO

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