I know I sound like a broken record; every week I try to sell you on something I’m assuming you might not like: “If you think you don’t like…gazpacho…eggplant…pickles…” Yes, this week — pickles.
It’s not that I think you won’t like pickles; it’s more that I’m guessing you might not want to mess with the whole process of making them. But! I’ve got that problem solved. With the Master Recipe for Brined Refrigerator Pickles, pickling couldn’t be easier. And now is the time to try it.
With refrigerator pickles, there’s no canning involved and you don’t have to make huge batches. Sure, your pickled vegetables will not last as long or get as dusty as those treated to pressure canning and special basement shelves. These pickles live in the fridge from the moment they’re made. But this gives them a certain joie de vivre – they jump out at you from their cute glass jars and say, “put me on tacos, please!”
And the kinds of vegetables that work well with this method include hot peppers and corn – two things I want to extend the life of this time of year. I’m going off-Island for a week to visit my family, so this weekend I looked at all the serrano peppers in my garden, the onions I’ve been harvesting, and the Morning Glory Farm corn in my fridge and knew just what to do with them. Now all these preserved veggies will be waiting for me when I get back.
Other veggies that work well? Cucumbers, beets, beans, carrots, fennel, cauliflower. Don’t forget to add aromatics; I like to gather the tasty green coriander seeds from my spent cilantro plants in the garden. But you can use dill, mustard or fennel seeds; herbs; red pepper flakes; or citrus zest.
The day I made the pickles, I realized I hadn’t shopped for meat for our supper, so I made egg tacos and garnished them with lots of pickled veggies. I also had roasted tomatoes on hand so I sliced some of them to layer into the tacos, along with cheese and a bit more cilantro. So good. Pickles and eggs are really a classic combo, so try them also on this Vineyard Open-Faced Egg Sandwich with Local Bacon, Cheddar & Asian Greens.
The pickles would also be great on shrimp tacos or meat tacos. Or on grilled pizza or oven pizza.
A colleague alerted me to the incredible tomato bonanza at Ghost Island Farm, so I made a quick detour there today to see some of the more than two dozen unusual and heirloom varieties they’re growing. Simply amazing. You’ve got to stop there! If you’re a tomato fiend, also head straight to The Garden Farm stall when you’re at the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market. Farmer Lydia Fischer’s specialty is tomatoes.
Watermelon alert! I’m seeing them all over the place. At Whippoorwill, farmer Rebecca Sanders was stocking the farm stand with Sugar Babies and Crimson Sweets when I stopped by.
Have you made those Irresistible Ice Cream Sandwiches yet? Labor Day weekend could be the perfect time.
Enjoy these last days of August, and we’ll see you on Instagram @cookthevineyard.
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If you're looking to make a dinner reservation or wondering which farm stands and markets are open, visit What's Open on Martha's Vineyard for regularly updated listings.
