pickled ramps

Ramps are one of the surest signs that spring has finally arrived. They pop up in farmer's markets for few weeks, and then they are gone. One way to make the season last a little bit longer is to pickle them. Once pickled they make a nice accompaniment to meat, can be used in salads, or just nibbled on like any other pickle. I'd love to say how long they last but I find they always get eaten too quickly to measure.

1 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons salt 

1 tablespoon juniper berries

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

4 fresh bay leaves

3-4 cups ramp bulbs (the leaves can be used in pesto or as a substitution for onion in recipes)

Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, juniper, peppercorns, and bay leaves with 2 cups of water in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Add ramp bulbs and reduce to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes, remove from heat, and leave to cool in liquid. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

quick pickles

I have made quick pickled cucumbers for years and have always done it the same way...I thinly slice some cucumbers (sometimes I also thinly slice a red onion) and sprinkle them with salt, sugar, and vinegar. Sometimes I add some fresh dill, sometimes mint. The cucumbers are softened and full of flavor within half an hour, and we eat the whole thing right away as a salad (photo below left).

Then, a month or so ago I was talking to my friend Rachel and she said she was making quick pickles with her son Caleb. We always compare recipes, and often share ideas for what to make for dinner, and this time was no different. It turns out, she was making a quick pickle recipe by Mark Bittman. I love his columns so I decided to look and see if I could find the pickle recipe online...curious to see what his favorite quick pickle is. 

I found the recipe here and discovered a whole new technique! To me, vinegar has always been a key ingredient, but Bittman does not use any vinegar at all in his recipe. Instead, he makes a salt water brine. I had to try them (photos above right and top) and I must agree that they are delicious. 

There are some differences between the two - I think that when I want a pickled cucumber salad as a side dish (for example, it goes really nicely with roasted salmon or grilled lamb) I will probably stick with my own method. But for a real pickle...a crunchier, really fresh tasting pickle, that can be kept in the refrigerator for about  a week, the Bittman pickles win. 

In the link you will also find another way to make quick pickles...one which does use vinegar, but like Bittman's version, are really pickles, as opposed to mine, which are more of a pickled cucumber salad. We made a jar or two of those as well...they were good, but not as crisp and fresh tasting as the ones without the vinegar.

To make my quick pickled cucumber salad use 2 cucumbers. I peel them, leaving strips of peel in tact, and remove the seeds. Slice thinly and place in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 4-5 tablespoons vinegar. You may choose the type: white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar all work well. Stir the cucumbers to combine. Add a heaping tablespoon of finely chopped fresh mint or dill and stir again. Set aside, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes before serving.