PICKLING BRINE

You can go all sorts of directions with a pickling brine—sweet and sour, sour and spicy, the sky’s the limit. This is a basic framework to get you started. Feel free to add whatever herbs/spices you’d like. Garlic adds flavor, peppers add heat. Play and have fun.

2 quarts water
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup salt (make sure it fully dissolves)

In a large enough saucepan, add the ingredients and bring to a strong simmer, stirring until the salt has all dissolved.

Thoroughly wash whatever vegetable you wish to pickle, and cut into small pieces if necessary (should probably not be thicker than one inch).

Place vegetables in an impeccably clean glass container (submerge in a pot of boiling water, or run through a dishwasher and remove hot). Add any garlic or herbs, as desired.

Add hot brine until it covers the vegetable entirely. No bit should break the surface of the brine.

Allow to cool, cover, put in fridge. You’ll want to wait a few days for the to flavor develop before eating.

Can be kept in fridge for a few months—so long as no mold, scum, spoiling occurs. Monitor regularly and discard if there is any cause for concern.