RECIPE: Pickled Radish

Another canning job completed on the weekend!
[recipes below]

In the cooler weather we get a lot more plants producing abundant harvests in our garden, as the micro-climate creates perfect conditions for many of the crops that won’t grow well once the full-on heat of brutal summer kicks in.

One of those things right now that we’re having a glut of, is Radish.
Some regular sized ones, and some giant Daikons.
The regular ones are lovely and peppery and are great added to salads etc, and the Giant Daikons taste extra ahhhhmazing – like a crisp juicy apple, with a little zing at the very end of the mouthful.
Thoroughly delicious!

RECIPE #1:

INGREDIENTS

•  1 bunch of radishes (18-20 average size radishes) 
•  ½ cup apple cider vinegar
•  1 tablespoon granulated sugar
•  1½ teaspoons salt
•  1 cup hot or warm water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice radishes as thin as you can. 
2. Stuff all the radishes in the jar of your choice.
   A bowl will work too if that’s all you have.
3. In a measuring cup, combine apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar, and warm water.
   Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
   Pour this pickling mixture over your sliced radishes and let them set for an hour.
   After an hour, cover and store in the fridge for up to three weeks.

RECIPE #2 – (for canning)

INGREDIENTS

– 24 radishes
– 1 cup cider vinegar (5% acidity)
– ½ cup white sugar
– ½ cup water
– 4 teaspoons kosher salt
– 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
– 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
– 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
– 2 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced thinly

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare radishes by washing radishes well, scrubbing gently.
Remove both ends and thinly slice.

 Prepare pickling solution.
Combine the vinegar, sugar, water, spices, garlic and salt in a medium sized pan.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, to ensure the sugar and salt has dissolved.

Add radishes, spices and hot pickling solution into the jars by distributing radish slices amongst hot jars, and filling to just below ½ inch headspace (distance from the jar rim).
Fill jars with hot pickling solution to ½ inch headspace.

Remove bubbles, check headspace is correct then wipe rims and seal.

WaterBath Canner Processing:
Place each filled jar into the boiling water canner.
Jars should be covered by 1-2 inches of water above the lids.
Put the lid onto the canner and turn onto high heat.
Once the water is back at a full boil, start your timer for 15 minutes (for half-pints and pints).
Once the time is completed, turn the heat off then remove the canner lid.
Wait a further 5 minutes before removing the jars.
Leave jars undisturbed on redtop for 12-24hrs.

TIPS:

• Cut radishes into wedges, slices or diced into large pieces
• Adjust ( or omit ) spices if you wish
• Keep the proportion of ingredients (vinegar, sugar, water, salt) the same in the recipe
• Try a different vinegar (or a combination) as long as they have an acidity of 5% or higher
• Use raw sugar instead of white sugar
• If your pickles taste like dirt after opening a jar over time, it means they were not cleaned properly in the second step of the recipe – ensure all root vegetables are washed and scrubbed well before canning to prevent this problem

RECIPE #3 – (for canning)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch radishes, stem and root ends removed and cut into thin slices
• ½ cup white or apple cider vinegar [5% acidity]
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon dried crushed chilli [optional]
• I also use 1tsp crushed garlic, 1 tsp of fennel seed

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place radishes in a hot sterilised jars.
• Bring vinegar, sugar, water, salt, spices and bay leaf to a boil in an enamelled saucepan
• Ladle hot pickling liquid over radishes.
• Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band, and adjust to fingertip-tight.
• Waterbath Can (as per recipe #2) for 15 mins.
• Let cool.
• Chill 6 hours before serving.
• Store in refrigerator up to 4 months.

from this

to this

and THIS!

and finally to this…