Quick pickled vegetables
"The stall" buys you time when you remember at 5 p.m. that you have invited a friend over for dinner at 6:30. Sure you can put out chips and salsa for your friend to nibble on while you finish the main course. But, having a trick like quick pickling up your sleeve is less likely to make your guest feel forgotten.
Quick pickling is simply a marinating technique for vegetables. Carrots are a great vegetable to use because their flavor and color improve with a small amount of cooking. While local carrots are becoming harder to find in the market right now, they are at least seasonal so they are going to be a more nutritious and economical option for this time of year. Root vegetables like carrots, beets, and daikon radish also tend to keep well in the refrigerator crisper, so you can always have some on hand when you are in a pinch.
The technique is simple enough: gently steam or blanch the vegetable you are going to use until they are tender crisp. Drain them but do not rinse in cold water as the heat will help them better and more quickly absorb the dressing/pickling ingredients. Dress the vegetables and allow them to cool to room temperature. Stir them periodically to distribute the flavors. Don't like tarragon? Feel free to substitute dried dill. If you are making this dish when the snow isn't blanketing the ground, use chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.
You also can use this technique on peeled, thinly sliced baby beets. Take it a step further by sprinkling on some goat cheese and chopped and you can stall your guest with a winter salad.
Quick Pickled Carrots
- 4, 6-inch carrots, peeled
- 2 pinches of salt, or to taste
- 1 pinch cracked black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 t dried tarragon
- 2 t olive oil
- ¼ c white wine vinegar
Cut carrots into 3-inch lengths, approximately ¼-inch by ¼-inch, or whatever size works for you. Just remember that the larger you make them, the longer it will take them to absorb the dressing. Whatever size you choose, be sure to keep the pieces uniform so that they all cook at the same rate.
Bring a ½ inch of water to a boil in a pan with a vegetable steamer, or use a skillet if you don't have a steamer. Steam or boil the vegetables until tender crisp. This will take only a couple of minutes for carrot sticks.
Drain the vegetables. Place them in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and tarragon. Drizzle with olive oil. Pour vinegar over top. Toss vegetables in dressing. Allow to cool to room temperature, turning every 15 to 20 minutes.
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The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
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What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
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funny, as your summer begins, another Summer ends.
@Dan - Wow. Unfortunately, I have to refrain from further comment due to a previous employment relationship. But with that brief context you might be able to imagine possible comments or responses I could have.
Oh, by the way, the “Champaign County YMCA” no longer exists. The official name is now the “Stephens Family YMCA” (the website has not been updated, but check out the latest program guide). And no, it’s not just the name of the building. It’s the name of the organization.
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Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…