We’ve so enjoyed our taste of the Mediterranean that we’re putting up some canned goods for future use. Here are the recipes for the small batches of Pickled Turnips, Preserved Lemons and Preserved Limes that we put up today. These are easy pickling/fermenting jobs that the kids really enjoy!
Small Batch Pickled Turnips
[makes 3 half-pint jars for the refrigerator]
Equipment
- 3 half-pint jars or the equivalent, cleaned and sterilized [these need not be canning jars, only glass jars with tight-fitting lids]
Ingredients
- 1 large and 1 medium turnip peeled and sliced into “fat french fries” [4 heaping cups]
- 1 medium beet peeled and sliced into about 12 pieces
- 4 1/2 c water
- 1/2 c kosher salt
- 1 1/2 c vinegar for pickling [white or apple cider]
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and smashed slightly with the side of a good knife
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Place 1 c water in a pot and bring to a boil.
- Add the salt and stir until dissolved.
- Remove from heat.
- Cool for 3-5 minutes.
- Drop 2-4 small chunks or slices of beet in the bottom of each jar.
- Drop 1 smashed garlic and 1 bay leaf in the bottom of each jar
- Add your turnips, peeled and sliced into “fat french fries,” to the jars.
- To your pot of salt water, add the additional 3.5 c water and the vinegar and stir.
- Pour the salt water and vinegar mixture into the jars.
- Seal with lids.
- Set the jars on the counter for a moment and enjoy watching the red red beet juice travel up towards the top of the jars and begin to colour the turnips!
- Place the jars in the refrigerator.
- Allow them to to set for at least 2-3 days before eating.
- These pickles are best eaten within a month of preparation. Of course, in our house, they will be eaten long before that!
Small Batch Preserved Lemons and Limes
we made 1 pint lemons and 1 half-pint limes
Equipment
- 1 pint or 1 half-pint glass jar, cleaned and sterilized, with a tight fitting lid [need not be a canning jar]
Ingredients
- 2 lb lemons [organic meyer lemons are best]
- or
- 1 lb limes [we used key limes]
- Kosher Salt
- Additional Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice
- Dry Whole Spices [Optional! We used Cinnamon Sticks and Cardamom Pods for the Lemons, Black Peppercorns and Cumin Seeds for the Limes]
Instructions
- Scrub the citrus well.
- Slice off the tiny tips and tails at the tops and bottoms of each fruit.
- Slice each fruit from the trimmed top down in an X, so that the fruit is almost quartered but not completely detached at its base.
- Salt each fruit liberally on the inside.
- Place 2 tbs Kosher Salt in the bottom of each jar.
- Drop a few salted lemons or limes into the bottom of the salted jar.
- Add a few dry spices.
- Add a spoonful of kosher salt.
- Continue to add additional fruits, spices and salt, pressing down hard with hands, the back of a spoon, or the edge of a wooden kitchen tool, so that the fruits compact and juice.
- Press down hard to get as much fruit in the jar as possible!
- When you reach the top, if the juice is not rising up over the fruit, add a bit more fresh citrus juice to the jar.
- Place a bit more salt on the very top.
- Seal the jar, leaving just about a quarter inch of head-space/room for air at the very top.
- Let the jar sit around at room temperature for 3-5 days.
- Shake the jar occasionally during that time.
- Refrigerate the jar for a few more weeks before using.
- To use the preserved citrus, open the jar, remove the amount of fruit you need, removing seeds and spices, and rinsing well.
Notes
Comments are closed.