Pickles!
What are you going to do with your harvest? Make pickles! I had extra turnips and as always I have loads of zucchini, therefore I must make pickles!
Julia’s Sour Yellow Turnip Pickles
8 cups white vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 cups water
3 Tbs. Kosher salt
1 Tbs. mustard seed
2 Tbs. black peppercorns or 2 Tbs. Grains of Paradise (I used Grains of Paradise)
2 Tbs. tumeric
pinch sugar
Bring the above ingredients to a simmer in a large saucepan.
Add 6-8 large turnips, peeled and sliced thin but not paper thin.
Turn off heat. Using a ‘spider’ or a slotted spoon, remove turnips, place into sterilized quart jars, pour over pickling juice, secure lids and store in the refrigerator. The pickles are ready to eat in 24 hours. Makes about 3 quarts.
Julia’s Mustard Zucchini Pickles
2 lbs zucchini- cut in half horizontally and slice thin- into planks not strips, as in flat planks so the strips are wide (don’t know how else to describe it)
1 large sweet onion, cut in half and sliced thick
6 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1/4 cup Kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. black peppercorns or 2 Tbs. Grains of Paradise
1 Tbs. celery seed
3 Tbs. prepared whole grain mustard
In a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl, dissolve the Kosher salt in enough water to cover all the zucchini and onions. Soak the zucchini and onions for an hour, drain.
Mix remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Add zucchini and onions. Bring back to a simmer and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat.
Using a spider or a slotted spoon transfer the zucchini and onions into sterilized quart jars. Pour over pickling juice. Secure lids and store in the refrigerator. These pickles are also ready in 24 hours. Makes 2-3 quarts.
Jake says - I’m a proud American GSD! I celebrate my independence!
Happy 4th, ya’ll! Love, Julia
Happy 4th! Jake is so handsome.
Jake, you look so handsome in red, white, and blue.
Love the Julia’s Mustard Zucchini Pickles. YUM.
Yum, pickles. And Jake is so patriotic! Happy 4th!
What are “Grains of Paradise?” It sounds colonial.
You are amazing! When do you have time to make pickles? I get stuck behind the computer and don’t move. Happy 4th of July to you and your family and Jake!
Thanks, Amber! Happy 4th to you too!
The girls at Jake’s daycare put it on him and now he wants to wear it all the time. He thinks his flag scarf is cool, Roberta!
He is indeed, Stephanie! I do love Jake and pickles!
Well, Steph, Grains of Paradise are an ancient spice used as a less expensive substitute for black pepper back in the Middle Ages. Supposedly the grains floated down the river from the literal Garden of Eden, or Paradise. They are peppery. http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/grains-of-paradise
I just make the time, Diana. Sort of run around a lot then look at the computer, then run around some more! Thanks!
Go, Jake, Patriotic American Dog.
The pickles look and sound yummy:)
He’s very patriotic, Sandra. Thanks!
He is cool in or not in red, white, and blue!
Thanks Julia! I knew toasted papaya seeds can be substituted but neve heard of G of P before. Thanks.
Hope y’all had a WONDERFUL 4th!
I’ll tell him, Roberta!
Welcome, Steph!
Thanks, Anny. We had a quiet 4th because our neighbors were away. No blowing stuff up all night long! Yay! Hope you had some fun.
Julia, it’s good to be back in time for your recipes…especially the Mustard Zucchini Pickles. After your similar experiences being dish-towel-tied to the kitchen step-chair, we now have another similarity. My grandmother made this same recipe, but she called it Yellow-Yellow Pickles.
She made it with yellow squash instead of zucchini, and she also pickled yellow peppers with the squash. I don’t remember her ever even mentioning Grains of Paradise, but she did use fresh-ground pepper in her recipe, and also Kosher salt. I asked what Kosher was (I was about ten, I think) and she said it was a very special salt that she bought with other things at a little deli in St. Joseph, MO, to support a special friend. It was years before I didn’t define Kosher salt the same way.
Welcome back, Marylin! I hope you start receiving my posts again. I love these old timey pickle recipes. In the Midwest most of us grew up with gardens and we had three options- pickling, freezing and canning. My mother did not like to can vegetables. She was afraid of botulism. So we canned fruit and tomatoes and pickled vegetables. Froze beans and peas and corn. I only use Kosher salt. Your grandmother’s explanation is priceless!