Description
Pickled courgette by Jamie Oliver brings zesty Mediterranean flavors to simple summer salads. Italian-inspired preservation methods infuse crisp zucchini with tangy herbs and spices, offering you a quick and delicious condiment.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g (17.6 oz) courgettes (zucchinis)
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 500 ml (16.9 fl oz) apple cider vinegar
- 140 g (4.9 oz) golden caster sugar
- 2 tbsps pure salt
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ dried chili, crumbled
Instructions
- Preparation: Slice zucchinis into ultra-thin, translucent rounds using a mandoline or sharp chef’s knife, ensuring consistent thickness.
- Salting: Combine zucchini slices with shallots in a large bowl, generously coating with kosher salt to extract moisture. Cover with cold water and let rest for one hour to soften and season vegetables.
- Draining: Strain vegetables in a colander, meticulously pressing out excess liquid using clean kitchen towels until completely dry.
- Brine Creation: Craft a flavor-packed pickling liquid by simmering white vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and water in a saucepan. Allow mixture to dissolve and reach a gentle bubble, then cool to a comfortable handling temperature.
- Infusion: Submerge dried zucchini and shallots in the warm, aromatic brine, ensuring complete coverage of each delicate slice.
- Jarring: Sterilize glass mason jars by washing in hot, soapy water and drying in a 340°F (170°C) oven for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer pickled vegetables and brine into jars, leaving minimal headspace.
- Preservation: Seal jars tightly and refrigerate, allowing flavors to meld and intensify over 48-72 hours before serving.
Notes
- Slice Uniformly: Use a mandoline or sharp knife to create consistent 1/8-inch thick zucchini rounds for even pickling and texture.
- Salt Technique: Let salted zucchini sit for an hour to draw out moisture, ensuring crisp and flavorful pickles with enhanced texture.
- Brine Temperature Matters: Cool brine to warm (not hot) before adding vegetables to prevent overcooking and maintain zucchini’s delicate crunch.
- Patience Pays Off: Refrigerate pickles for 48-72 hours to allow flavors to develop and fully infuse, creating a more complex and delicious result.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: UK
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 10000 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg