Pickled String Beans and Baby Carrots

Some of our favorite childhood food memories come from trips to the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Knishes, bialys, and pickles straight from the barrel rounded out a day of bargain hunting.

But for all those times when you can’t get to the Lower East Side and you are craving a salty pickled taste, this recipe is a great substitute. Crisp, refreshing, and wonderfully simple to prepare, these pickled green beans and carrots are neither too sharp nor too salty. Both the beans and the carrots are ready in 48 hours, but will taste even better if left to pickle for a week. Serve as a munchy hors d’oeuvre or snack, or as a condiment with sandwiches.

MAKES 4 CUPS

Pickling Liquid

2 cups cider vinegar

1 cup dry white wine

1¼ cups water

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

½ pound string or wax beans, trimmed, or ½ pound baby carrots, halved lengthwise

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed coarsely

½ teaspoon whole peppercorns

1 chile pepper, dried or fresh

2 bay leaves

To make the pickling liquid, in a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, wine, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.

Beans

In a quart-size glass container with a lid, combine the beans, garlic, coriander, peppercorns, chile, and bay leaves. Pour the pickling liquid over the beans. Cool completely at room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for at least 48 hours or up to 1 week.

Carrots

When the pickling liquid boils, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the carrots, and simmer until the carrots are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the carrots and pickling liquid to a quart-size glass container or jar and add the garlic, coriander, peppercorns, chile, and bay leaves. Cool completely at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 48 hours and up to 1 week.