Mid-summer
Pickling those summer flavours
One of the loveliest things about summer is food at our fingertips—in the garden, at the farm market and farm stands, in the forest, along the shores, in rivers and from the ocean deep. There’s fresh picking and pickling, jams to be jarred and pies fresh out of the oven, shells and cobs to be shucked, flowers for eating and herbs for drying. Here’s one of our favourite pickling recipes—the perfect way to save some of your scapes (those tops of the garlic plants just before they flower) for later in the year when days are shorter and you’re looking for a bright addition to a sandwich, salad or a meal.
A bunch of garlic scapes
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon of any of these (or sprinkle in one jar to experiment): cumin, dill seed, or chilli flakes
What you’ll need: garlic scapes, sterilized mason jars and tops, sterilized ladel, medium heavy-bottomed pot, apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar, peppercorns and any other spice you’d like to experiment with. This recipe will produce three 16 oz jars or or eight 4 oz jars. Both sizes are nice for sharing.
To begin: Sterilize jars and lids — check out this site for sterilization tips.
Trim and cut garlic scapes to fit in jars. Curly pieces can be placed into the jar as curls, while stems should be cut to lengths that fit your jars. Fill sterilized jars with scapes being careful not to over-stuff. There should be room enough to allow your scapes to come into contact with the brine.
To make the brine combine the vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns, mustard seed and any additional spices in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved.
Pour hot liquid into jars until the scapes are covered and leave 1/4 inch of space at the top of the jars. Place tops on jars but don’t tighten. Let cool then secure the tops and refrigerate until opening — for the best flavour wait two to four weeks before eating.
Try this recipe with green onions, cabbage or rhubarb instead of scapes and experiment with spices.