I have written before about my love of my Mariquita Mystery Box. I love the variety and quality of the produce, the sometimes conveniently located near K's favorite ice cream shop rotating pick up spots and the fact that it is an opt-in system, so I can skip a week or two with no problem.
That said, sometimes I get more of one item than I think I can use. This week, that was radishes of all sorts, including green heart and watermelon. As much as I like radishes, and I do like them, four pounds is a lot. What to do? Quick Pickles!
Quick pickles, unlike the water bath processed pickles I often make, are designed to be kept in the refrigerator and, as the name suggests, are quick and easy. Essentially, you chop vegetables, put them in a jar and then cover them with a brine made from vinegar, a little bit of salt and sugar and herbs and spices of your choice. In this case, I chopped enough radishes (about two pounds) to fill two quart jars. Since I had Mystery Box green garlic on hand, I chopped that and added some to each jar. I then added the two kinds of pepper before covering with a vinegar brine. Active time? Less than 15 minutes.
Pickled Radishes
Makes one quart
1 pound radishes
1/2 bunch green garlic (Garlic cloves are an excellent substitute, 3-5 per jar)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 dried hot peppers(optional)
1 cup vinegar (I used white for one batch and cider for the second)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Wash and chop your radishes and green garlic. Place them in a quart size jar. Add your peppercorns and if using, hot pepper. Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the radishes. Seal and allow to cool. Once cool, refrigerate for at least 24 hours before use to allow the flavors to blend.
