Yellow Zucchini Pickles

I am not one for canning and freezing foods in a serious way. I like the idea, it sounds romantic, but for me it doesn’t work. I have no room to store the foods and in any event I prefer to eat seasonally. If peaches and green beans season is over I move on to the next fruits and vegetables whose time has come. I do however like to make a few jars of pickled vegetables or pesto every now and then. Unless you go through the canning and sealing process they won’t last as long but we usually finish them quickly and move on to the next thing.

I like to pickle beets and tend to make them quite often. I have a few jars of pickled beets in my fridge right now. At the moment though zucchini is the “in” vegetables and today I pickled a couple of small jars of yellow baby summer squash. I use them as a condiment alongside other foods, with vegetarian burgers, on top of crostini with goat cheese or add them to vegetables and grain salads.

To keep the zucchini coins crispy I cut them not too thin and let them drain overnight between layers of paper towels until dry. I don’t salt them, just let them drain on their on. The brine is sweet and pungent, made with apple cider vinegar, sugar, water and some spices. A little turmeric gives it a nice golden glow.

It’s surprisingly delicious. Give it a try.

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Ingredients:

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about 12 baby yellow summer zucchini cut in thin slices

1 small onion, halved and sliced

1 cup cider vinegar

1 cup water

3/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

A pinch hot pepper flakes, optional.

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Directions:

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Cut the zucchini into coins about 1/8″ thick. Line a tray (I use a baking sheet) with double thickness paper towels and lay the zucchini coins on the paper towels in one layer. Top with another layer of paper towels and arrange remaining zucchini coins on top. Top with another layer of paper towels and press it down over the zucchini. Put an empty cookie sheet on top to weigh it down. Leave on the counter for a few hours or if you have room, overnight in the fridge. What I tend to do is leave it at room temperature and later pick it all up, paper towels and all, place in a dish that fits my fridge and leave overnight. The zucchini coins should exude all their moisture and be nice and dry.

When ready to proceed pack the zucchini coins into clean or sterilized  jars.

Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices to a boil, let boil a couple of minutes.

Pour the vinegar mixture into the jars over the zucchini.

Wipe the jar clean and close with a lid.

Let cool and then keep refrigerated.

If you don’t go through the full canning process use within a reasonable time.

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