Zucchini ... What to Do?
The saying goes, you know who your friends are when you grow Zucchini. Like, if you know from experience, they are very prolific. Grow larger, and larger overnight. So, you give them away. Friends smile, politely. "Oh, joy! More Zucchini!"
Well, do this. Make a pickle.
Simple. Slice up a Zucchini, make a Vinegar brine, toss the slices in the boiling brine until softened, but still crisp.
Okay?
You have questions?
The main thing to pickle is the Zucchini itself. We usually add sliced Onion. Today we added slivers of sweet Red Bell Pepper.
The Brine: Listen ... it don't have to be 100% Vinegar. Unless you like it that way. Our time tested brine recipe specifies 1 part white Vinegar to 2 parts clean water [Spring or filtered; not from the tap.] Do it! Vinegar : Water, 1:2. You might like it 1:1. Somewhere between those two ratios will give you a nice pickle brine.
How Much Brine? Good question. Here's a waste not want not formula. Make enough raw sliced vegetables to fill the selected jar. Prepare maybe 20% more to account from shrinkage after the vegetables are blanched in the brine. Fill the jar to the top with the raw vegetables. Add water to fill. Drain water and measure. That's the amount of brine! Don't get nervous that there isn't enough brine. The vegetable shrink as they blanch. Keep stirring. You'll see.
Spices: Mustard seeds, Coriander seeds. Whole black Pepper seeds. A little Turmeric for color. Sweeten brine with Cane Sugar. We eschew Salt, but you may want to add some. Optionals: Chile de árbol and/or Jalapeno slices if you lika da heat.
Preparation: Bring the brine to a boil and add Zucchini slices [and whatever else you throw in there with it]. Bring back to a boil. This for Zucchini is enough to soften the slices, but still have them crispy. Transfer to a sterile jar, fill to the top with the brine, seal the lid. Let cool on the kitchen counter. Refrigerate. A day or so later ... Pickled Zucchini!
BTW: This recipe you can adapt for just about any vegetable you want to pickle. Just be sure to blanch the cut veggies in the boiling brine until the desired level of tenderness.
