It is said you may still hear the accents of Shakespeare’s England in the hills of Virginia, USA. Elsewhere, immigrant Moravians, Italians, Poles, Lutheran Germans, Greeks and Lebanese have created pockets of culture and national tradition in the United States which are often more concentrated and ‘authentic’ than anything to be found in the mother countries.
Despite its fast-food, high-tech image, America takes its homespun pastimes very seriously indeed. The lifestyle of Oklahoma and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, with its picnics, clam bakes and homemade apple pie is still holding fast in small towns and townships from Maine to Oregon. Even in the cities, where burgers are synonymous with the ‘American way’, they are often accompanied by traditional tracklements in the shape of dill pickles and mustard relish.
The American Indians were well versed in different ways of preserving their produce—they dried fish and meat, probably did some smoking, and had some other curious tricks as well. The Crees made pemmican by drying thin slices of reindeer or buffalo meat in the sun, then pounding and mixing it with melted fat, which provided nourishment. They picked the fruits growing on their land, such as wild cherries and June berries, and mixed these in to provide extra sweetness. The whole lot was compressed, packed into bags of buffalo hide and kept for five years.
Pickling in its present form began with the arrival of the first English and European settlers, who brought their domestic skills with them. Before long a new tradition had emerged, and all kinds of produce was being salted, brined and pickled in vinegar. Incidentally, the Americans rarely use malt vinegar and consider it something of a luxury. The Jewish-American influence is very strong and there are countless recipes for cucumbers, melons, squashes and marrows pickled in various ways. The Americans are also fond of ‘freezer’ or ‘ice box’ pickles, which are very mild pickles only intended to keep for a short while with the help of refrigeration.
Pickling in South America and Mexico is rather different. The native Indians had various ingenious ways of preserving food, including a method of drying potatoes in the frost, which seems rather like an ancient precursor of our instant mash! Chilli peppers have been cultivated in parts of South America for 10,000 years and traces of them have been found in ancient burial sites in Ancon and Huaca Pieta in Peru. It’s said there are as many varieties of chilli pepper as there are days of the year, so it’s not surprising they are extensively pickled and turned into virulent sauces, like their West Indian counterparts. The most popular for pickling are the devilish, tiny green jalapeño or serrano peppers and the habanero peppers of Brazil and Mexico.
One of the greatest pickles to come out of South America is a style of marinating raw fish in citrus juice, called ceviche. The original idea was to find a way of keeping fish in the tropical climate without refrigeration. Also no heat was needed for the preparation or serving: it was cool to make and cool to eat. Traditionally it is made with corvina (a member of the Drum family), although cod and haddock are more familiar substitutes in Britain. The fish is steeped in the juice of a special sour orange, although lemon and lime juice are often used instead, and the whole dish is usually spiked up with a couple of hot chillies. In its basic form this is really a peasant fish salad, but the idea has inspired many of today’s young chefs.
‘What happens when you find that the anaemic little courgette you refrained from picking yesterday has swelled overnight into an enormous ‘courge’ or giant marrow? Of course, you can scoop out the middle and then grate the flesh. Sprinkle it well with salt and leave it to drain in a colander, underneath several weights.Within an hour you will have transformed your swollen monster back into something succulent, which you can mix with beaten eggs and a little flour, for an exotic sort of crêpe. You will also have a large quantity of green juice which can be added to soup stock. You can also use the grated marrow by mixing it with chopped onions and frying it briefly in olive oil or butter.
If you have neglected the garden for a couple of days, only to discover a veritable bounty of marrows, here is a pickle which is a grand accompaniment to cold spread or curries.’
(‘Cocottes’ Norfolk Recipes by Carla Phillips)
This pickle was one of the great ‘hits’ with everyone involved in the BBC TV series The Perfect Pickle Programme. Like Carla, it is part north Norfolk and part transatlantic. Try it with pâtés and terrines, or you can make a ‘good lunch’ of it with cottage cheese and bread.
MAKES ABOUT 1.25 kg (2½ lb)
1.25 kg (2½ lb) MARROW
4 ONIONS, SLICED
2 GREEN PEPPERS, DE-SEEDED AND CHOPPED
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS)SALT
300 ml (10 fl oz) CIDER VINEGAR
450 g (1 lb) SUGAR
1x2.5 ml SPOON (½ TEASPOON) CELERY SEEDS
1x2.5 ml SPOON (½ TEASPOON) WHITE MUSTARD SEEDS
Split the marrow in half, remove the pulp and pips in the middle and finely slice the flesh. Put into a bowl with the onions and green peppers. Sprinkle with salt and transfer to a large sieve or colander. Press down with a weight and allow to drain for at least 1 hour.
Pour the vinegar into a large pan and add the sugar. Stir well over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the spices and bring to the boil. Stir in the vegetables, bring to the boil again and cook for about 4 minutes, until the marrow looks translucent. Spoon the pickle into warmed jars or a large plastic container with a lid.
The pickle is ready to eat the next day, but will keep well for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
Our friend Davilia David’s favourite recipe, gleaned from her favourite recipe book, The Golden Wattle Cookery Book. It is Australian, but has echoes of similar pickles made in the USA. Use honeydew or similar varieties of melon.
MAKES ABOUT 2.25 kg (5 lb)
1.5 kg (3 lb) MELON, PEELED, DE-SEEDED AND DICED
600 ml (1 PINT) WHITE VINEGAR
1 kg (2 lb) ONIONS, SLICED
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) ONIONS, SLICED
225 g (8 oz) WHITE SUGAR
100 g (4 oz) BROWN SUGAR
40 g (1½ oz) FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) GROUND MIXED SPICE
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) CAYENNE PEPPER
1x2.5 ml SPOON (½ TEASPOON) CAYENNE PEPPER
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) TURMERIC
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) DRY MUSTARD
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) PLAIN FLOUR
Put the melon in a bowl and cover with vinegar. Leave overnight.
Next day, transfer to a large pan and add the onions, salt, sugars, ginger, mixed spice, dill seeds and cayenne pepper. Boil for about 1 hour until soft. Blend the turmeric and mustard with the flour and mix well with a little water until a smooth paste is formed. Stir into the pickle. Cook slowly, stirring well, until the pickle has thickened and the melon pieces are soft, but still firm. Pack into jars, seal and store for at least 2 months before opening. Age improves this chutney greatly.
The combination of delicate, soft pumpkin flesh, smooth honey and slightly crunchy celery makes this pickle an ideal foil to creamy French cheeses. Other varieties of squash or marrow may also be used.
MAKES ABOUT 1.5 kg (3 lb)
1 MEDIUM-SIZED RIPE PUMPKIN (OR SQUASH OR MARROW)
100 g (4 oz) CELERY, CHOPPED INTO SMALL PIECES
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) CELERY SEED
225 g (8 oz) CLEAR HONEY
PINCH OF CAYENNE PEPPER
1x15 ml SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) ONIONS, SLICED
600 ml (1 PINT) ONIONS, SLICED
Slice up the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into rough chunks. Put into a large pan with the chopped celery and remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil slowly, stirring all the time. Turn down the heat and simmer for a further 20 minutes, or until the pickle takes on a glossy amber hue. Remove from the heat, allow to cool a little, then pack into cleaned, warmed jars. Cover and store for at least 3 months before opening.
There are countless ways of pickling a small cucumber. Often the recipes are virtually identical, but committed cucumber picklers have a passion about their craft usually reserved for the bedroom rather than the kitchen.
For this American-Jewish pickle you will need cucumbers 10-12.5 cm (4-5 inches) long and as firm as sticks of Blackpool rock. They are readily available in the summer and autumn in good greengrocers or markets. In the winter, such cucumbers, imported from the Mediterranean, look bright green and shiny because they have been coated with a fine waxen film. This can make pickling a bit tricky, as the salt will not penetrate. The answer is to grow your own: two grow-bags and a packet of seed, plus patience and green fingers should yield a crop worth pickling.
The ideal receptacle for this pickle is a deep earthenware crock, but a plastic tub will serve just as well.
MAKES ABOUT 2.25 LITRES (4 PINTS)
30 SMALL GREEN CUCUMBERS
BRINE MADE OF 1X15 ML SPOON (1 TABLESPOON) SALT TO
600 ml (1 PINT) WATER
600 ml (1 PINT) WHITE VINEGAR
6x15 ml SPOONS (6 TABLESPOONS) ONIONS, SLICED
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) WHITE MUSTARD SEEDS PER JAR
5 CLOVES GARLIC PER JAR
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) CAYENNE PEPPER PER JAR
2 SPRIGS FRESH DILL PER JAR
Pack the crock or tub two-thirds full with young cucumbers. Cover with a saucer or plate and weight down firmly. Make up enough brine to cover them and pour it in when cold.
Leave for about 1 week in a warm place. As the pickle starts to ferment, a yeasty scum will start to form on the surface. Skim this off regularly. After 2–3 weeks, fermentation should cease and the cucumbers will be ready for pickling. At this stage it is worth sacrificing one cucumber to test if it is sound. Slit it open: the flesh should be firm, but translucent; anything that is sloppy, soggy or slimy should be thrown out. Your nose will also tell you if all is not well.
Decant the fermented cucumbers and pack into cleaned, sterilised jars. Make up a pickle of the vinegar, 1.75 litres (3 PINTS) water and the salt. Heat in a saucepan until the salt has dissolved, then leave to cool.
Add the mustard seeds, garlic, dill seeds and fresh dill to the jars, then pour on the cooled vinegar, making sure the cucumbers are completely covered. Seal and store in the refrigerator. The cucumbers will keep well for up to 1 month.
The tamarillo or tree tomato is a beautiful egg-shaped fruit with a shiny reddish-brown skin and a taste that hints of both tomatoes and apricots. It appears alongside other exotic fruit in specialist greengrocers and some of the better supermarkets.
This recipe was provided by celebrity TV chef Ross Burden.
MAKES ABOUT 1 kg (2 lb)
1 kg (2 lb) BARELY RIPE TAMARILLOS
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON) CLOVES
1 SMALL STICK CINNAMON
25 g (1 oz) FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED AND CHOPPED
300 ml (10 fl oz) WHITE-WINE VINEGAR
225 g (8 oz) SUGAR
1 VANILLA POD
Blanch the tamarillos in boiling water for about 30 seconds or until the skins can be removed. Leave the stems intact.
Meanwhile tie the cloves, cinnamon and ginger in a piece of muslin and boil in the vinegar for about 10 minutes. Remove the spice bag and stir in the sugar.When it has dissolved, add the tamarillos and simmer for about 3 minutes or until they start to feel tender. Remove the fruit carefully and pack into a large cleaned, warmed jar with a wide mouth. Finally add the vanilla pod. Cover well and store for 1 week before using.
Unlike most pickles, this recipe employs alcohol instead of brine or vinegar. Kumquats are the first choice, but many kinds of fresh and dried fruit can be used for this recipe – including damsons, peaches, prunes and apricots.
MAKES ABOUT 450 g (1 lb)
450 g (1 lb) KUMQUATS
225 g (8 oz) SUGAR
300 ml (10 fl oz) BRANDY
Sort out the fruit and discard any that are blemished. Put into a pan and just cover with water. Simmer for about 5 minutes. until the kumquats are soft (test by pricking them with a cocktail stick). Remove the fruit from the pan, allow to drain, then pack into warmed jars.
Add the sugar to the juice and boil hard for 5 minutes until it is reduced, then remove from the heat and add the brandy. Allow to cool, then pour over the fruit, making sure all are completely covered. Seal well and store in a dark place. Shake occasionally and keep for at least 1 month.
This classic American relish can be made very simply from packets of frozen corn kernels.
MAKES ABOUT 750 g (1½ lb)
450 g (1 lb) SWEETCORN KERNELS
1 GREEN PEPPER, DE-SEEDED AND FINELY DICED
1 RED PEPPER, DE-SEEDED AND FINELY DICED
100 g (4 oz) CELERY, THINLY SLICED
100 g (4 oz) SUGAR
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) ONIONS, SLICED
2x5 ml SPOONS (2 TEASPOONS) DRY MUSTARD
600 ml (1 PINT) ONIONS, SLICED
Cook the corn in slightly salted water until tender. Drain and leave to cool. Blanch the peppers and celery in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain. Put all the vegetables into a preserving pan.
Blend the sugar, salt and mustard with a little of the vinegar to form a thin paste. Add this to the vegetables, then pour in the remaining vinegar, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring well. Pour the hot relish into warmed jars, seal and store for 2 weeks before using. This relish should be eaten within 1 month.
Chillies are in fashion. The Cool Chile Company in London is one of a growing number of firms dealing in these fiery commodities, which can be obtained from good supermarkets, delicatessens and stores such as Selfridges. One of the most interesting varieties is the chipotle or smoked jalapeño pepper.
Writer and chef Ross Burden, who supplied this recipe, says it is great with scrambled eggs, pork, chicken, and steaks.
MAKES ABOUT 5 fl oz (150 ml)
10 DRIED, SMOKED CHILLIES
1 ONION, PEELED AND CHOPPED
5 CLOVES GARLIC, PEELED AND CHOPPED
4x15 ml SPOONS (4 TABLESPOONS) WHITE-WINE VINEGAR
5x15 ml SPOONS (5 TABLESPOONS) TOMATO KETCHUP
PINCH OF ONIONS, SLICED
150 ml (5 fl oz) WATER
De-seed and de-stem the chillies. Put into a pan with the chopped onion, garlic, vinegar and ketchup. Simmer gently for about 1 hour. Add the salt and pour in the water, a little at a time. Stir well until the relish is pulpy. If you want something really smooth, purée the mixture in a blender. Transfer to a cleaned, warmed jar, seal and store in the fridge until needed. This relish will keep well, un-opened, for several weeks.
Chilli Salsa with Lime and Coriander
Salsas give Mexican food its potency and zing. These searingly hot, colourful condiments - half sauce, half relish - are very much in vogue with today’s chefs, who use them to give a buzz to all manner of dishes.
This sour, aromatic salsa has the consistency of a coarse paste and it will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can mix the ingredients in a food processor to make a silky sauce which can be frozen by putting portions into ice-cube trays.
MAKES ABOUT 300 ml (10 fl oz)
3 FRESH GREEN CHILLIES
2 RIPE TOMATOES
4 CLOVES GARLIC
50 g (2 oz) FRESH CORIANDER LEAVES
JUICE OF 2 LIMES
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON ) ONIONS, SLICED
Remove the stems from the chillies, and chop the flesh finely. Don’t discard the seeds as they provide much of the necessary heat. Slice the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds; chop the flesh into small dice. Peel and chop the garlic; finely chop the fresh coriander. Put the prepared ingredients into a bowl and blend well with the lime juice and salt until you have a full-bodied paste. Leave in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
The idea of ceviche—the marinating of raw fish in citrus juice—has inspired many young British chefs. Tim Reeson, formerly of The Crown, Southwold, Suffolk, made it regularly and sometimes coloured the fish with saffron as an extra touch. The result is dazzling.
It is essential that the fish is absolutely fresh. In addition to salmon and turbot, this recipe works well with brill, monkfish, sea bass and even scallops.
MAKES ABOUT 500 g (1¼ lb)
275 g (10 oz) FRESH SALMON FILLET, SKINNED
275 g (10 oz) FRESH TURBOT FILLET, SKINNED
1x5 ml SPOON (1 TEASPOON ) ONIONS, SLICED
1x2.5 ml SPOON (½ TEASPOON ) CUMIN SEEDS
1x2.5 ml SPOON (½ TEASPOON ) GROUND BLACK PEPPER
3 BAY LEAVES
4 FRESH GREEN CHILLIES, DE-SEEDED AND FINELY CHOPPED
HANDFUL OF CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER
GRATED RIND AND JUICE OF 3 LIMES
GRATED RIND AND JUICE OF 2 LEMONS
VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
FRESH CHIVES AND RED PEPPER STRIPS, TO GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
Lay the fish side by side in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Strew cumin seeds, black pepper, bay leaves, chillies and coriander over the fish. Add the grated rinds and juices of the lemons and limes then drizzle a little virgin olive oil over the fish: this helps to keep it moist and prevents the surface from drying out.
Cover and put into the refrigerator to marinate for 6-8 hours, turning the fish every hour. After 8 hours it will be quite strongly flavoured; after that it is likely to become too acidic.
The ceviche should be sliced very thinly like smoked salmon and fanned out prettily on the plate. It can be garnished with chives and very fine strips of red pepper for colour.