Yield: 2 pints
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories per serving: 73
These used to be called dilly beans, because of the pickling process, which uses dill for flavor. Needless to say, I’ve amped up the flavor with coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, and ginger. How you flavor your quick-pickled vegetables is all up to you! This is a perfect way to incorporate spices like mustard seed, coriander, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes as well as fresh herbs like dill, rosemary, thyme, and garlic.
Quick pickling involves pickling vegetables in vinegar, water, and salt and storing them in the refrigerator in a covered jar. They only require a few days in the brine before they can be enjoyed, and you don’t have to can them.
You get to choose how sour you want them to be. The longer they sit in the brine, the more flavorful they become. To get the best pickled vegetables, start with the freshest vegetables you can find.
I put pickled vegetables in salads and wraps, use them as a side, and snack on them. There is always a jar of something pickling in my fridge.
2 sprigs fresh dill
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 to 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
1 to 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 pound fresh green beans
1 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1½ teaspoons agave nectar
1 cup water
Equipment needed: 2 pint-size, large-mouth mason Jars
Divide the herb sprigs, peppercorns, coriander, red pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic between two sterilized widemouthed mason jars.
Stand the green beans upright in the jars. Make sure there is ½ inch clearance or space from the rim of the jar to the top of the beans.
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sea salt, agave, and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring continuously to dissolve the salt. Pour the brine over the beans while hot, filling each jar within ½ inch of the top.
Gently tap the jars against the counter to remove all air bubbles. Place the lids on the jars and screw them on until tight. Store the beans in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days to pickle.