Most great pickles started as a way to preserve the bounty of a harvest for the bleaker months. In a modern sense, chefs are starting to make pickles out of the bounty of what they have in their refrigerators; either due to the bounty of harvest, or a bout of over-ordering.These pickles evolved from the latter: somebody's shopping cart was bigger than their menu.
This method uses a combination of Sandor Katz's "sauerkraut method" (salting and pressing vegetables for lacto-fermentation) and vinegar pickles, and is super easy to prepare. The hardest part of pickling is waiting for them to be ready!
Fennel-Cherry Pickles
1 tsp. Whole coriander seeds
1 tsp. Whole mustard seeds
1 Tbsp. Whole fennel seeds
1 pound Dark or Rainier cherries; stems removed, pits removed, and halved
1/2 head Fennel; cored and sliced thinly (stalks and fronds included)
2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1/4 Cup Sugar in the Raw
as needed Bragg's Cider Vinegar (optional)
Place whole coriander, mustard, and fennel seeds in a small skillet; toast over medium heat, shaking the pan every few seconds, until the aroma of fennel is apparent. Remove from heat and let cool.
While the spices are cooling combine the cherries, fennel, salt and sugar in a non-reactive bowl and toss to thoroughly distribute the salt and sugar. Add the dried spices and mix again. Transfer to a non-reactive container. Using your hands press down on the mixture until it releases enough liquid to cover the mixture, (much easier than it sounds, you will want to "crush" and mash the mixture a little). Cover with cheesecloth, or a clean-breathable cloth, and leave for an hour; after an hour if the fennel-cherry mixture has not released enough liquid to cover, top off with a little distilled water. Cover the container with the cheesecloth/clean cloth again, and secure with a rubber band. Let the fennel-cherries stand at room temperature for 2-3 days, or until bubbles start to form (this is good. That means the lacto fermentation is going strong and producing CO2)
After this initial fermentation, taste your pickles (use a clean utensil to remove the pickles from the container, lest you introduce bad bacteria into you pickles). If you are happy with the flavor, transfer to a clean container and cover tightly; refrigerate for 2-4 weeks or pressure can for long-term storage.
If you want to go "funkier" replace the cloth cover and let stand until you are happy with their flavor (using the prescribed method for taste testing above). When you feel they are ready, cover-refrigerate, or can for storage.
This is delicious served with chili rubbed and grilled pork.
NOTE: you can adjust the acidity with apple cider vinegar, but is not neccessary
1/4 Cup Sugar in the Raw
as needed Bragg's Cider Vinegar (optional)
Place whole coriander, mustard, and fennel seeds in a small skillet; toast over medium heat, shaking the pan every few seconds, until the aroma of fennel is apparent. Remove from heat and let cool.
While the spices are cooling combine the cherries, fennel, salt and sugar in a non-reactive bowl and toss to thoroughly distribute the salt and sugar. Add the dried spices and mix again. Transfer to a non-reactive container. Using your hands press down on the mixture until it releases enough liquid to cover the mixture, (much easier than it sounds, you will want to "crush" and mash the mixture a little). Cover with cheesecloth, or a clean-breathable cloth, and leave for an hour; after an hour if the fennel-cherry mixture has not released enough liquid to cover, top off with a little distilled water. Cover the container with the cheesecloth/clean cloth again, and secure with a rubber band. Let the fennel-cherries stand at room temperature for 2-3 days, or until bubbles start to form (this is good. That means the lacto fermentation is going strong and producing CO2)
After this initial fermentation, taste your pickles (use a clean utensil to remove the pickles from the container, lest you introduce bad bacteria into you pickles). If you are happy with the flavor, transfer to a clean container and cover tightly; refrigerate for 2-4 weeks or pressure can for long-term storage.
If you want to go "funkier" replace the cloth cover and let stand until you are happy with their flavor (using the prescribed method for taste testing above). When you feel they are ready, cover-refrigerate, or can for storage.
This is delicious served with chili rubbed and grilled pork.
NOTE: you can adjust the acidity with apple cider vinegar, but is not neccessary
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