“If I could stop time for one day in the kitchen, it would be the day that spring’s first ramps arrive. It means that winter is over and the time to revel in morels, asparagus, and ramps has begun. By pickling them I can stop time and be in ramp heaven year-round.” –Chef Hugh Acheson
Two Great New Pickle Recipes
Dilly Beans
1 quart local green beans, stemmed
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. pickling salt
1/2 tbsp. white granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. dill seeds
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
Pickled Ramps
1 quart ramp bulbs, halved if large
1 1/2 tbsp. pickling salt
1 tbsp. white granulated sugar
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
2 small sprigs of fresh thyme
3/4 cup cider vinegar
2 cups water
Preparation
- For the Dilly Beans: Pack the beans and dill into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top, and set aside.
- Combine the salt, sugar, dill seeds, coriander seeds, garlic, vinegar, and water in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Carefully ladle the hot pickling liquid into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace in each. Cap with lids and bands, cool for 2 hours, and then either refrigerate or process according to the jar manufacturer’s directions.
- The pickles can be refrigerated for 7 to 10 days; if processed, they will keep for up to 10 months. (Makes 1 quart or 2 pints)
- For the Pickled Ramps: Fill a large bowl half with water and half with ice, and set it aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the ramps for 2 minutes in the boiling water. Shock them in the ice water to stop the cooking. When they are cool, drain and spread them out on paper towels to dry a bit. Then pack the ramps into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace, and set aside.
- Combine the salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, vinegar, and water in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Carefully ladle the hot pickling liquid into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace in each. Cap with lids and bands, cool for 2 hours, and then either refrigerate or process according to the jar manufacturer’s directions.
- I like to let the ramps really mature for about 3 months before eating them, but as a fridge pickle, they will keep for 7 to 10 days. If processed, they will keep for up to 10 months. (Makes 1 quart or 2 pints)
Recipes from chef Hugh Acheson’s Pick a Pickle: 50 Recipes for Pickles, Relishes, and Fermented Snacks Copyright © 2014 by Hugh Acheson. Photographs copyright © 2014 by Rinne Allen. Published by Potter Style.
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