Chef Heather Terhune's Pickled Zucchini

By Jeannie Burke
@JeannieBs

Heather prepared this for the chef series at the Chicago Botanic Garden last Sunday. She finished the presentation with pearl mozzarella and dill. It's on her menu at her restaurant, Sable, in Chicago.

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote

Comments:

2 Comments

Method:

Refrigerate/Freeze

Ingredients

1 lb: zucchini
1 small: yellow onion
2 Tbsp: kosher salt
2 c: cider vinegar
1 c: sugar
1 1/2 tsp: dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp: crushed yellow and/or brown mustard seeds
scant tsp: turmeric

Step-By-Step

1Directions:
Wash and trim the zucchini. Then slice then one sixteenth inch thick; a mandoline works best. Slice the onion very thin as well. Combine the zucchini and onions in a large but shallow nonreactive bowl, add the salt and toss to distribute. Add a few ice cubes and cold water to cover, then stir to dissolve the salt. Alternatively, transfer the salted zucchini and onion slices to a Japanese pickle make and screw sown the top; do not add any water ice cubes.

2After about 1 hour, taste and feel a piece of zucchini- it should be slightly softened. Drain and pat dry.

3Combine the vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, mustard seeds and turmeric in a small saucepan and simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside until just warm to the touch. ( if the brine is too hot it will cook the vegetables and make the pickles soft instead of crisp).

4Return the zucchini to a dry bowl and pour over the cooled brine. Stir to distribute the spices. Transfer the pickle to jars, to hold the zucchini and onions beneath the surface of the brine. Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least a day before serving to allow the flavors to mellow and permeated the zucchini, turning them a brilliant chartreuse color.

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