The easy way to make sweet, sour quick-pickled cherries and punchy quick-pickled cucumbers.
I want my quick pickles to be quick. That should go without saying, but I like a turnaround time of hours, not days. I also have strong preference for things that taste good, and these do that too. The vinegar melds with the cherries’ sweetness, for a bright take on sweet and sour. The kirby cucumbers, on the other hand, are clean and crisp, with a gentle lemony tang. Pour some vino verde and enjoy the summer night.
Quick Pickled Cherries
How to make quick-pickled cherries.
Recipe Type:
Preserves
Ingredients
- 1 heaping pint bing cherries
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- zest of one lemon
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
Instructions
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Pack the cherries into a quart jar, pits and stems in tact.
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In a medium saucepan combine the vinegars and water, zest, sugar, and spices, over medium high heat. Bring to boil and then turn down to a simmer until everything is dissolved and the brine is steamy. Remove from heat and set aside while the liquid cools for ten minutes. Then pour the liquid over the cherries and set aside until the jar is cool to the touch. Screw on the lid and refrigerate for several hours.
Quick Pickled Cucumbers
How to make quick-pickled cucumbers.
Makes: 1 quart
Ingredients
- 3 kirby cucumbers sliced into 1/2-inch spears
- 5 or 6 sprigs fennel
- 1/2 of a red onion sliced
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
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Load a quart jar with the cucumbers, fennel, and onion.
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In a medium saucepan, bring vinegars, sugar, and spices to a low boil, and simmer until everything is dissolved and steamy, 5 minutes. Pour hot liquid over cukes and set aside, uncovered, to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, screw the lid on tight and refrigerate several hours.
I just found your delightful blog, if it’s not a blog, forgive me! I was following back buckwheat pancakes from yahoo and it references your Brooklyn recipe as the original and theirs as an adaptation..I also can’t wait to try the cornmeal cake with mandarin, I love to bake with cornmeal..I own operate a small coffeehouse in San Diego and I make pickles, had to laugh I want mine ‘quick’ too..I would like to follow but don’t know the pinterest or other things yet, waiting for some teen to show me!