Two unusual pickles to accompany drinks, antipasto, or charcuterie
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Standing Time Before Use: 10 daysdays
Total Time 10 daysdays50 minutesminutes
Servings 32servings
Ingredients
For the Tart Pickled Cherries:
1poundripe firm Bing cherries(or any other sweet cherry)
6sprigsfresh tarragon
2cupswhite wine vinegar
¼cupsugar
2teaspoonspickling salt
For the Pickled Celery Sticks:
1stalkcrisp fresh celery
6cupswater
2bay leaves
4sliceslemon
Pickling saltas needed
2tablespoonssugar
2large garlic clovespeeled
1teaspoonmustard seed
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes
12whole black peppercorns
2whole cloves
1 ½cupswhite wine vinegar
¾cupwater
Instructions
To make the Tart Pickled Cherries:
Rinse the cherries. Discard any with soft spots. Clip the stems to ½ inch. Blot the cherries with paper towel to remove all moisture.
Rinse and dry the tarragon. Drop half of the tarragon sprigs into each of two hot, sterilized canning jars. Add the cherries.
Stir together the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a non-reactive saucepan. Heat to simmering, stirring until sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Pour over the cherries and tarragon filling to within ¼ inch of top of jars.
Remove any air bubbles from jars. Apply sterilized two-piece canning lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Store in a cool, dark place for at least one week before serving.
To make the Pickled Celery Sticks:
Using a vegetable peeler, remove all strings from celery. Cut into lengths (about 3 inches) that will fit into your canning jars. Cut lengths into strips about ½ inch wide.
Heat water to boiling in a large non-reactive saucepan. Add the bay leaves, lemon slices, and 1 teaspoon salt. Boil the liquid for two minutes, then add the celery and return to the boil. Begin timing and boil for two minutes, no more. Drain the celery in a colander. Reserve lemon slices. Spread the celery and lemon out on paper towels to cool until it is comfortable to handle.
In each of two hot, sterilized canning jars, place 1 lemon slice, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 garlic clove, ½ teaspoon mustard seed, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 6 black peppercorns, and 1 whole clove.
Meanwhile bring the vinegar and water to a boil.
Pack the celery sticks in the jars as tightly as possible. Pour in enough of the vinegar and water mixture to completely submerge the celery leaving ¼ inch headspace.
Apply two-piece canning lids and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Allow the celery to mellow for a few days before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.