Chef Kate's Cauliflower Pickles with Ginger & Tumeric
Prep time 2.5 hours | Cooking time 10 minutes
Makes about 4 pints
These easy, quick refrigerator pickles are excellent for anyone who might feel a little intimidated by pickling. Ginger and turmeric give them a vaguely Indian flavor, with a crunchy bite. These make a great accompaniment to a cheese plate, elevate a sandwich, or pair beautifully with grilled meat!
Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
•2 1/2 heads cauliflower
•1 large yellow onion (sweet or regular)
•2 tbsp kosher salt
For Brine:
•2 cups apple cider vinegar (distilled or unfiltered)
•1 cup granulated sugar
•3" knob of ginger, unpeeled
1 tbsp each of the following:
•ground turmeric
•coriander seed
•cumin seed
•mustard seed
•kosher salt
Directions
•Thoroughly wash all vegetables, including ginger.
•Thinly slice onions and cauliflower (core too), toss with salt and let sit for 1-2 hours.
•Drain, rinse, and pack tightly into jars.
•While cauliflower is salting, assemble brine. Toss all brine ingredients into a non-reactive pot and simmer to dissolve sugar, then turn off heat.
•When cauliflower is close, bring brine to a full boil and turn off heat. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool a touch, then pour hot brine into jars just enough to cover vegetables. Having a tightly packed jar means less brine is needed, so shove it in! It's better to have 3 1/2 tight jars than 4 and not enough brine.
•Cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Pickles will be good to eat in a few hours, but the flavors get bigger if you can wait longer (3-4 days is great). They will keep 2-3 weeks in the fridge.