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1 day ago
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Quick pickled cabbage wedges
(Pictured above)
Here’s the perfect pickle when you’ve bought a whole cabbage for a slaw and end up having some left over in the bottom of your fridge. It’s super easy to prepare, full of flavour, and makes midweek sausages and mash even more delicious. Serve it sliced with pulled pork, or thinly sliced and tossed through salads for extra tang.
Makes 1 x 1L container
½ small red cabbage, cut into wedges
2 cups (500ml) red wine vinegar
1 ½ cups (375ml) water
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp juniper berries
Slice the cabbage into large 5cm wedges. Make your brine by combining the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a medium-sized, non-reactive (such as stainless steel, glass or ceramic) saucepan. Place over low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the spices and bring to the boil. Put your cabbage wedges in a heatproof glass container and cover with the hot brine. Allow to cool, then seal and store in the fridge for up to one month. It will take about three to four days for the wedges to be pickled.
Rescued apple chutney
This recipe is a good way to rescue fruit that is floury, bruised or wrinkled. We used to make this chutney a lot when the kids were little, using up all the apples from the fruit bowl with only one little bite taken out. Try it with pears, plums or even pumpkin (squash). Change the spices to whatever you have in the pantry.
Makes 1 x 500ml jar
3 tbsp olive, sunflower or vegetable oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brown or yellow mustard seeds
½ tsp ground cinnamon
A pinch of ground cloves (or use 2 whole cloves)
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1–2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
3 apples, roughly chopped with the skin on
½ cup (125ml) red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
¼ cup (55g) sugar
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and saute the onion (or that half onion left over in the fridge) with the salt until soft and sweet. Add the mustard seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne and ginger. Mix well, then throw in the apples, vinegar and sugar. Reduce the heat and gently simmer until you have a thick and glossy chutney (add a little water if the chutney starts to look dry). Taste and add extra spices or sugar if needed. Allow to cool a little, then spoon into an airtight container or clean jar and store in the fridge for up to one month.
Banana ketchup
Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it. This condiment is huge in the Philippines, where it’s served with fried rice, chicken dishes and grilled eggplant. You can use it as you would other ketchups and sauces – on sausages, fries, meatloaf and fish fingers – and it’s perfect for using up overripe bananas.
Makes 2 to 3 x 250ml bottles
3–4 ripe bananas, sliced
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
3cm knob of fresh ginger (optional)
1–2 mild chillies, chopped or 1 tsp chilli flakes
1⅓ cups (330ml) apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
2–3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
⅓ cup (75g) brown sugar
1 tbsp mixed ground spices (whatever you have in the pantry – cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, pepper)
Put the bananas, onion, garlic cloves, ginger (if using), chilli, ⅓ cup (80ml) of the vinegar and the salt into a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth.
Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and add the banana mixture, another cup (250ml) of vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and mixed ground spices. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes over low heat, adding two to three tablespoons of water if the ketchup gets too thick or starts to stick to the pan. Once it’s thick and glossy, pour into bottles, seal well and store in the fridge for up to two months.
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This is an edited extract from Pocket Pickler by Alex Elliott-Howery, photography by Alan Benson and Cath Muscat (Murdoch Books, A$29.99)
