CSA Cooking: Salad Pickles (aka Waste Prevention Pickles) – Food in Jars

Ingredients

• 2 pounds hardy, leftover vegetables like asparagus, beans, scapes, or stems
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons pickling or fine grain sea salt
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 teaspoons mustard seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Prepare a boiling water bath canner and 3 pint jars.
2. Wash, trim, and chop the vegetables you're using (go for similar sizes so that everything pickles at the same rate).
3. Combine the vinegar, water, and salt in a large saucepan. Set it over high heat and bring it to a boil.
4. Once the brine is boiling, add all the chopped vegetables. Cook just until the brine returns to a boil and then remove the pot from the heat.
5. Pull the jars out of the canner. Divide the garlic cloves, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes between the jars.
6. Using a slotted spoon, fill the jars with the chopped vegetables, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
7. Fill the jars with brine, taking care to retain the proper headspace.
8. Tap the jars gently on the countertop to loosen air bubbles. Use a wooden or plastic chopstick to remove any stubborn ones.
9. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process the pickles in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
10. When time is up, remove jars from the canner and set on a folded kitchen towel to cool.
11. Sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
12. I like to give this pickle at least a week of rest before I crack open a jar.