Turmeric & Star Anise Pickles

These sweet pickles are fun-tastic! Gather a basket of your favorite crunchy vegetables and slice them into strips, discs and triangles. For this batch we used half carrots and cucumbers, and half assorted white vegetables to really let the color of the turmeric shine. They were ready to munch on after just one night and the flavors from the spices and fresh ginger just keep getting better with each passing day.

Serve them alongside savory or spicy dishes for a nice contrast of flavor and don't waste the brine! Add it to sauces and vinaigrettes or splash in a dirty martini for incredible flavor.

Ingredients

For the Brine:

3 cups rice wine vinegar
2 cups water
1 cup honey
2 oz Pacific Flake Sea Salt
2 tablespoons Turmeric
10-12 Star Anise
1 tablespoon Szechuan Pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons Rooster Spice

For the Vegetables:

1/2 lb carrots
1/2 lb English cucumbers
1 lb assorted crunchy white vegetables - fennel bulb, lotus root, jicama, turnips
4 oz red onion
2 oz shaved ginger

Directions

For the Brine:

In a mortar & pestle, crush the Szechuan pepper and then crack the star anise.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then add the star anise and Szechuan pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer the spices for 5-10 minutes.

Add the remaining brine ingredients, reserving 1/2 teaspoon of the Rooster Spice. Simmer 5-10 minutes. Allow the brine to cool to room temperature and strain through 2 layers of cheesecloth.

For the Vegetables:

While the brine is cooling, thinly slice the vegetables on a Mandoline into fun and festive shapes. Pack the sliced vegetables into two wide mouthed quart jars.

Add the reserved Rooster Spice to the cooled brine and pour over the vegetables to cover. Allow them to sit at room temperature for about an hour, then refrigerate. After just one night your pickles will be ready to eat, crunchy and full of flavor.

Tags: Cocktails Pacific Flake Sea Salt Rooster Spice Salad Sauces Side Dish Star Anise Szechuan Pepper Turmeric Vegan Vegetarian Veggies