Pickled Apples →
Sweet, tangy, savory, crunchy pickled apples make an excellent addition to many salad recipes, or dice and add them to pureed root vegetables. Don’t overcook them or you will lose the “crunch”.
Ingredients:
• 1 red apple such as Gala or Honey Crisp
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice from the market (see *Note)
Preparation:
Peel, quarter and core the apple, then cut each quarter lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
Boil vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pickling spice in a saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.
Add apples and return to a boil. (*Alternatively, for a crunchier result, you can add the apple slices to the boiling water and remove from heat.)
Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool. Chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1 hour.
*Note: if you want to make your own spice mix try this one.
Pickling spice is a bit like barbecue sauce; everyone has a personal style and preference of taste. You can purchase pickling spice blends at the store or make your own. For an aromatic approach, you might include as many as 6 or 8 spices—such as whole allspice, peppercorns, dill and mustard seeds, and bay leaves. Try experimenting with different flavor profiles, and be sure to note all of the combinations you try. Whatever aromatic notes you find appealing, increase; those that seem as if they are interfering, decrease. This recipe is a good starting point.
Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021
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PICKLED APPLE
Ingredients:
• 1 red apple such as Gala or Honey Crisp
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice from the market, or make your own
pickling spice:
Ingredients:
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
2 dried bay leaves, crushed
2 whole cloves
2 Tbs. mustard seeds
2 Tbs. whole coriander seeds
1 Tbs. mixed peppercorns
2 tsp. whole allspice
2 tsp. dill seeds
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, allspice, dill seeds, and red pepper flakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 year.
Preparation:
1. Peel, quarter, and core the apple, then cut each quarter lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
2. Boil vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pickling spice in a saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.
3. Add apples and return to a boil. (*Alternatively, for a crunchier result, you can add the apple slices to the boiling water and remove them from heat.)
4. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool. Chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1 hour.
Ingredients:
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
2 dried bay leaves, crushed
2 whole cloves
2 Tbs. mustard seeds
2 Tbs. whole coriander seeds
1 Tbs. mixed peppercorns
2 tsp. whole allspice
2 tsp. dill seeds
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, allspice, dill seeds, and red pepper flakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 year.
Source: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/homemade-pickling-spice.html
Adapted from The Art of Preserving, by Lisa Atwood, Rebecca Courchesne & Rick Field (Weldon Owen, 2010).