Good morning Morsels has arrived. This is the fourteenth newsletter arriving in your inbox.
Morsels is made possible by subscriber contributions through Substack. If you would like to make a one off donation to support the continuation and growth of Morsels, please be in touch and I will sort that out.
Please consider subscribing. All paid subscribers will have access to the (currently in development) back catalogue of paywalled recipes and articles that will build and grow over time. It costs $5/month or $50/year.
If you enjoy the writing and recipes and wish to subscribe to the newsletter for free, please click below. You can also share this newsletter with the button below and don't forget to follow us on Instagram. Thank you so much for your support.
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please feel free to share/screenshot/post on social media etc, you know the drill.
This is a chapter excerpt from a book I’m putting together about cooking at home. Very much in line with the recipes that I have posted on here previously. Clear direction and intention when cooking at home can make things easy. Beautiful food can be prepared with less effort, time and skill than people will have you believe
There are lots of recipes today. Lots. Variations on pickles with a focus on pickling winter vegetables. Its winter here. Don’t forget it. Don’t let it get you down. Just stroll on down to pickle town…
The first two recipes are deadset bangers and are available to all subscribers. However, the remainder of this post is for paid subscribers only. If you would like to become a paid subscriber clink the link below. If you cannot afford to pay for your subscription but you are interested in the articles being published behind the paywall, please reach out.
On How to Pickle With Ease
Cleaning jars / Canning Method 101:
Right so this is a simple way to clean your jars and make sure they are bacteria free when using them for pickling. You don’t have to do this but it is a good habit to get into and it is good practice if you want to ensure that you pickles last as long as you want them to.
Ingredients:
A big pot
Water
Jars
Lids
Method:
Fill the pot with water. Bring it to the boil and then turn off the heat.
Let the water sit for 5 minutes cooling.
Put your jars in, using tongs, sideways to fill up with water then turn them right way up to sit full of water in the water bath.
Turn the heat back on low so that it comes to a simmer.
After 2 minutes remove jars and empty them of the water. Set the jars on clean tea towels to drain.
Meanwhile drop the lids in the water as it simmers. Leave them in there for 1 minute. Remove and set to dry.
While things dry, keep the water simmering.
While the jars are still warm get the pickles in, but before you put the lid on wipe around the outside of the top of the jar. Then put the lid on.
Place the jars, with the pickles inside, back in the water making sure they are upright.
Increase the heat to medium and bring the water to the boil. Once it is at a boil, reduce to a simmer and set a timer for 10 minutes.
Simmer the jars with the pickles inside for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes remove them from the water and let them cool over night or through the day.
Keep them in a dry cool place (cupboard etc) or chuck them in the fridge and enjoy.
Quick Cucumber Pickle:
I’ve used this recipe for years and it always makes me happy. It’s so easy. So easy and the result is something that is perfect for burgers, fried chicken, sandwiches or just on rice with eggs. I like it a lot, very very much.
Ingredients:
Pickle Liquid:
1 litre of red wine vinegar
1 litre of water
30gr toasted fennel seeds (toast in a dry pan until fragrant on medium heat)
30gr korean chilli flakes
2 bay leaves
300gr of dark brown sugar
For this recipe you can pickle up to 3 cucumbers
Method:
First things first combine all the ingredients for the bring in a pot over medium heat.
Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer, let simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the cucumber thin. If you have a mandolin, use it but please please don’t cut your fingers. They are lethal and mandolin cuts don’t heal easily. You are going for a burger pickle slice.
After the pickle juice has been simmering for 15 minutes add the cucumber. Let simmer for 30 seconds and then take it off the heat.
Leave the cucumber to cool in the liquid (If you are using the jarring method above, jar while still warm).
Store in a container covering the pickles with the juice. They will store in the fridge, sealed for up to 6 months.
Pickled Balsamic onions
Eat these with everything from cheese to hamburgers to salads to eggs to noodles. Not great for pasta but maybe you can make it work against a really rich ragu. Actually, don’t try, not worth it. Eat them instead with a stew. A real hearty stew (recipe coming next week).
Ingredients:
Pickle Liquid
500gr balsamic
250 cane sugar
15gr korean chilli flakes
4gr salt
1 kg red onions
Method:
Put the balsamic, the sugar, the Korean chilli flakes and the salt (Pickle liquid) in a pot over medium heat and bring it to a rolling boil.
While it is boiling, add the onions in 200gr batches and blanch for 45 seconds.
After 45 seconds remove the onions from the pickle liquid. Set them aside to cool. Continue blanching in batches until all the red onions are blanched.
Once you have blanched all the onions take the pickle liquid off the heat and allow it to cool.
Allow both the onions and the liquid to cool separately.
When the liquid has cooled add the onions back to the liquid.
Store in an airtight container (or jar according to the above direction) for 24 hours before eating.
Store in the fridge. They will be happy and safe in your fridge for 6-12 months.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Morsels to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.