I always have a jar of fridge pickles handy. They’re a quick & healthy appetizer, an easy way to add flavor to salads and bowls, a great way to prolong the life of your farmer’s market finds, and frankly, they’re just really lovely to look at—I love seeing them at the back of my fridge. I’m currently flying through a batch of these cauliflower pickles—turmeric, cinnamon and star anise make for a warmly spiced brine that tastes like fall.
1 lb cauliflower, cut into small to medium sized florets
2 shallots, sliced ¼” thick
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup water
1T Diamond Kosher Salt (less if using a different brand)
½ T sugar
½ T Turmeric
2 pieces Star Anise (or one whole pod per jar)
2 cinnamon sticks (or one per jar)
1 t nigella seeds
2 t whole mustard seeds
2-4 glass jars with lids, depending on size
Fill your jars with cauliflower florets and shallot slices, along with one cinnamon stick and one whole pod of star anise. Make sure you dig these in a bit, you want them to be submerged in the brine. Combine water and vinegar in a small, stainless steel pot (ideally one that has a pour spout), and bring to a gentle boil. Add salt and sugar, stir until dissolved. Add turmeric, mustard seeds and nigella seeds, stir to distribute, and continue to simmer for another 30 seconds or so. Remove from heat and pour* the brine (carefully!) over your vegetables, filling to within ½” of the top. Put lids on the jars, and let them cool a bit on the counter for an hour or so before moving them to the fridge. They’ll be pickley & delicious in 12-24 hours, and will keep for a few weeks in the fridge.
*Turmeric stains! To avoid messes and the potential for burns, I recommend putting your jars in the kitchen sink before filling them.