By Jeanetta Darley of The Splendid Things
In the dusky Saturday mornings, tables are unfolded and canopy tents are wrestled. Crates and baskets of fresh grown offerings are unloaded while jars of jelly and local honey are stacked into pyramids. Farmers stand anxiously waiting. Waiting for us.
Most farmers markets are just beginning to roll out their wares. And while you may not see much variety right now as the temperatures (hopefully) rise (as we know they always do) so will the selection. Right now we are getting roots and leafy greens. And one of my favorites. Radishes.
I love the spicy crunch of the small red orbs. And they can be delicious in so much more than sliced in your salad or dunked in a vat of ranch. When in doubt, pickle it!
Pickling is a great way to save your farmers market (or your garden) bounty. And a refrigerator pickle like this one is fast and easy and can be used with different vegetables. Since there were radishes and carrots a plenty at the market that is what I am using in this recipe. The color combination looks beautiful and would make a great hostess gift or contribution to any upcoming Memorial Day cook out.
- 2 cup sliced radishes
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- ½ medium onion thickly sliced
- 4 sliced garlic cloves
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon local honey
- ½ teaspoon crushed peppercorn
- Slice all of your vegetables, toss them together and pack into a quart size jar. If you really want to make a presentation you could put the vegetables in layers.
- In a small sauce pan add the remaining ingredients and bring it just to boiling.
- Pour the liquid and spices over the vegetables. This will be easier to do with a wide mouth funnel or a measuring cup with a spout.
- Use a skewer or knife to help move any bubbles to the surface.
- Place the lid on the jar. Once the jar has cooled some then place it into the refrigerator and let it set for 24 hours
Jeanetta is a crocheter & coffee addict, chicken keeper & goat wrangler, a farmer girl & maker of drunk jellies.
You can find her online at www.jeanettadarley.com or on twitter, pinterest & instagram @jeanettadarley.