Pickled Zucchini

Pickled Zucchini

Another great recipe from Marisa McClellan's Food in Jars book on preserving small batches of food.  We do feel like master gardeners when it comes time to growing zucchini but what do we do with all of it?  I have spiraled it into noodles, baked it with Parmesan cheese, grilled it, added it as a pizza topping.....but today I tried pickling it.  I am surprised how crisp it is...especially with the refrigerator method.  The cumin adds a great difference.  Make sure the cumin is fresh.  Here's the recipe:

3 pounds young zucchini, cut  into 1/2" rounds

2 cups apple cider vinegar

3 teaspoons ground cumin

3 TBS pickling salt

1 lime sliced

2 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seed

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp red pepper flakes, I use chipotle

Combine the vinegar, 2 cups water, ground cumin and pickling salt in a pot and bring the brine to a boil.

Meanwhile place a lime slice in the bottom of each sterilized jar.  Divide the pickling spices among your jars

Pack the sliced zucchini in each jar

Gently pour the hot brine over the zucchini leaving 1/2 inch headspace

If canning, gently tap the jars and use a wooden skewer to release any bubbles trapped.  Wipe the rims of the jars.  Add lids and rings  Process for 10 minutes in boiling water.

If going directly to the fridge.  Let the zucchini soak up all the flavor for 48 hours if you can wait that long.

Happy summer eating.

mise en place

pickling spices, lime and a sprig of lavender

zucchini in jar