Michael Symon's Live to Cook_ Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen - Michael Symon [41]
So what began at Lola as a way to preserve the best food we could find became part of the defining style of our dishes. It’s not only allowed us to deliver dynamic flavor, but also has enhanced and deepened our relationships with local farmers by making it possible to buy more of their produce during their growing season and use it throughout the year.
The four pickling techniques
Not all pickles are the same, and not all ingredients benefit from a single method. We use four different methods depending on the item being pickled and the end result we’re after.
Vinegar brine over raw vegetables.
Warm vinegar brine over blanched vegetables.
Seasoned brine (no vinegar) over raw vegetables or meat.
Salt and seasonings (no liquid; also called a dry cure) over vegetables or raw meat.
The first technique is used for vegetables, such as red onions and tomatoes, that are naturally tender or that don’t require cooking. The second technique is used for vegetables that need to be tenderized before being pickled, such as green beans and ramps. The third is used either to create a naturally fermented pickle, as with the traditional dill pickle, or to cure meat, such as beef and lamb’s tongue. And in the fourth method, meat or vegetables are salted and the salt draws out water and creates its own brine; this is used for items such as salmon, pork belly, and cabbage, and it is sometimes referred to as a dry cure.
MASTER PICKLING RECIPE USING RED ONIONS
This is an excellent all-purpose pickling recipe that works for numerous vegetables. Because of both its simplicity and its versatility, it’s a good starter recipe for those who haven’t pickled before. Fennel pickled with this method is great with fish; I also love it with Lamb Sausage with a dollop of Greek yogurt. Sliced garlic is amazing when pickled. Red onions are my most frequently used pickle both at home and in the restaurants, but any onion can be pickled this way. Use them on sandwiches and salads, on charcuterie plates, or to garnish a simply cooked piece of fish. Julienned or shaved celery, celery root, turnip, and carrot are all excellent choices here, too.
An exact amount of vinegar is not given here. The brine itself is half water, half vinegar, but because you can never know precisely how much of the water-vinegar mixture you’ll need, I recommend fitting all the vegetables into the container you’ll be using, filling it up with water, then dumping the water into a measuring cup, pouring out half, and replacing the half with vinegar.
Makes about 2 quarts
2 pounds red onions, sliced
White wine vinegar
Sugar
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
Pack the onions in two 1-quart jars and cover with water to come within ½ inch of the rim. Pour the water out into a measuring cup. Note the volume, pour off half the water, and replace it with vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons salt for every 3 cups of liquid.
Pour the vinegar mixture into a nonreactive saucepan, add the mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves, and bring to a boil over high heat. Allow the liquid to boil for 2 minutes, and then remove it from the heat.
Pour the hot liquid into the jars to cover the onions and screw on the lids. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.
PICKLED CHERRIES
These make a fantastic sweet-sour condiment that goes well with very rich dishes, everything from pork belly to foie gras, or even with some blue-veined cheese and crostini. But my favorite food to pair it with is duck; they were made for each other.
Makes about 2 quarts