Cook Club: Quick pickling takes time, guesswork out of preserving produce

Pickling is an excellent way to preserve summer's bounty, to ensure that nothing goes to waste and produce can be enjoyed in the throes of winter. For those of us that would rather not spend hours trimming, chopping, brining and canning, quick pickling is the way to enjoy a nice vinegary bite of summer without breaking a sweat.

So, this month we teach you about the quick pickle with The Gazette KCRG-TV9 Cook Club recipe: Black Bean Salad with Quick Pickled Mango.

Quick pickling fruits and vegetables can take as little as 15 minutes or as long as 48 hours. Either way, the process is largely hands-off. Vinegar and spices do their work while you relax.

Vinegar is the key ingredient to every pickling solution. White vinegar will lend a stronger, more tart taste. Apple cider and rice vinegar are milder. Always add sugar (adjusted to taste) and a bit of salt to the vinegar. After that, follow your taste buds. Add citrus and any myriad spices to add depth and zing to your quick pickle.

We used rice vinegar whole peppercorns and cloves along with some fresh jalapeno without the seeds to spice up our mango pickles. It is just enough tang to balance the sweetness of the sweet corn and red peppers in our black bean salad.

To make a pickling solution, bring vinegar, sugar and spice mixture to a boil until sugar is incorporated. Pour immediately over vegetable produce of choice. Allow brine to cool for 10 minutes before pouring over fruit. If using immediately, toss every few minutes for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain and use as desired. Otherwise, allow brine and produce to cool completely before placing in a lidded glass container and place in the refrigerator. The longer it sits, the more flavor it will infuse.

When pickling fruit, choose fruit that is not completely ripe. If it is too soft it will disintegrate in the vinegar solution.

You can choose to pickle produce and immediately use it in a salad or as part of another dish as we did. Or reinvent your produce by pickling for other applications. Suddenly a radish is less a salad ingredient and more a vinegary, salty sandwich topping. Carrot sticks are jazzed when paired with a heavy dose of vinegar and smoky spices. Pickled produce will last in the refrigerator in the solution for up to two weeks.

RECIPE

Black Bean Salad with Quick Pickled Mangoes

Serves 6 to 8

Salad

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

4 corn on the cobs

1/2 cup green onions, sliced

1 cup red pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoon fresh lime juice

3 tablespoon olive oil

Quick pickled mangoes (recipe below)

In a large bowl place black beans, corn, green onions, red peppers and half of the diced jalapeno. Place the remaining half of the

jalapeno along with the cilantro into a small food processor or blender. Pulse a few times. Toss in spices and pulse two more times.

While the processor is going, pour in the olive oil and lemon juice and process until dressing comes together. Taste and adjust

seasonings as necessary. Pour dressing onto black bean mixture and toss to coat. Place in the refrigerator until pickled mangoes are

ready.

Quick Pickled Mangoes

4 mangoes, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 cups rice vinegar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoon kosher or pickling salt

2 tablespoon jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 tablespoon whole cloves

1 tablespoon whole peppercorns

Place mangoes in a medium-sized bowl. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil in a medium pot over high heat until sugar melts

completely.Take off the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Pour over mangoes and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring every few

minutes. Drain and toss mango with prepared salad.

Keys to Quick Pickling

• Vinegar: White distilled, apple cider, red wine, rice, or a mix of any of these making sure you have enough liquid to cover your produce completely, will work

• Salt: Kosher or pickling salt is preferred

• Sweetener: Granulated sugar dissolves easily

• Spices: Whole or ground spices work as well as fresh herbs and citrus