SERVES 8 TO 10
Loni Kuhn is one of the great people in San Francisco’s cooking world. Warm, generous, and a naturally fine cook, she has gifted me for years with jars of pickles and preserves. Last year’s Christmas bounty included the cousin to this crisp and zesty cucumber pickle accented with the dusky flavor of fermented black beans. Very easy to make and requiring no canning skills, it’s a short-cut pickle that has become a China Moon favorite.
Like most all of our pickles, this one is best made a day ahead of serving to give the flavors a chance to develop. Once made, it will hold well in the refrigerator for a week or so.
If you do not have access to fresh water chestnuts, jicama makes a good substitute. I never use canned water chestnuts, but if you are enamored of them, first slice, then blanch them in unsalted water for 10 to 15 seconds to rid them of any tinny taste.
The way to get the best flavor from Chinese dried black mushrooms is to soak them overnight in cool water. Warm to hot water may be used if you are pressed for time.
One might think that so-so vegetables could be used in pickling, but not so! You should use only the firmest, plumpest, and best-quality vegetables. Otherwise, they will collapse under the combined forces of vinegar, salt, and sugar—never mind the Chinese contingent of ginger and chili. While preservatives, these things also eat away at the surface of the cut vegetable, so if you begin with soft tomatoes or nicked onions or bedraggled cabbage, the pickle won’t last. It also won’t look pretty, a limp pickle being as attractive as it sounds.
½ cup dried black Chinese mushrooms
1½ pounds English cucumbers, cut lengthwise in half, seeded, then cut crosswise into ½-inch moons
1 tablespoon kosher salt
AROMATICS:
1½ teaspoons finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
SAUCE:
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
1 tablespoon Japanese sesame oil
1½ teaspoons Szechwan peppercorns
6 to 8 fresh water chestnuts, cut into thin half-moons
2 teaspoons Chinese black beans (do not rinse them)
1 small Fresno chili, cut into thin rings
1. Cover the mushrooms with cool water. Soak until supple, about 1 hour. Or, for best flavor, soak overnight. Drain, rinse with cool water to dislodge any grit, then squeeze gently to remove excess water. Snip off the stems and cut the caps into quarters or sixths.
2. While the mushrooms soak, toss the cucumbers with the salt. Let stand 1 hour, then drain. Rinse with cool water; drain again.
3. Combine the aromatics in a small dish.
4. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl, leaving the spoon in the bowl.
5. Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over moderate heat until a bead of water evaporates on contact. Add the corn oil and sesame oil, and swirl to glaze the pan. Add the Szechwan peppercorns and let infuse for 30 seconds, adjusting the heat so they bubble without blackening. Add the aromatics and stir gently until fully fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the water chestnuts, mushrooms, black beans, and chili rings, and toss to combine. Add the cucumbers and toss until hot, about 30 seconds. Stir the sauce and add it to the pan. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring.
6. Scrape the mixture into a shallow non-aluminum dish and let cool, stirring occasionally to redistribute the sauce. For best flavor, seal and refrigerate overnight before serving. Serve slightly chilled.
Some people, and I’m one of them, like the texture and flavor of whole Szechwan peppercorns in this dish. If you’re more of a purist, fish them out once the oil has infused.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: Something about the combination of black beans and balsamic vinegar makes this pickle a good match for red meat. Try it alongside any pork or beef stir-fry, or on an antipasto plate with any of our cured meats.