Quick Pickled Celery, Chard and Carrot
This is a very tasty way to ensure the more fibrous outer stems from a bunch of celery don’t go to waste; likewise, the stems from a bunch of chard. I also add some carrot for sweetness and colour– but you can use just one or two of these veg, as long as it makes up the 400g raw weight. Makes enough for a 500ml Jar
Ingredients
400g mixed, prepared celery, chard stalks and carrot
1 tbsp fine salt
250ml cider vinegar (5% acidity)
2 tbsp sugar
1 bay leaf
A couple of sprigs of thyme or rosemary
1 tsp coriander seeds
A few black peppercorns
Method
Make sure the chard stems and celery are trimmed of any green leaves and dirty or damaged bits, then cut into roughly 1cm dice. Carrots should be peeled, trimmed then cut into thin half-moons or quarter-moons, depending on the girth of the carrot. Check that you have 400g prepared weight of raw veg.
Put the prepared veg into a bowl, add the salt and mix well, then transfer to a sieve or fine colander placed over a bowl. Leave for about half an hour. You’ll see that the salt draws quite a lot of liquid out of the veg; it seasons it too, of course.
Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry a 500ml capacity Kilner or Le Parfait-type jar, or a robust jam jar with a vinegar-proof lid.
Pack the salted veg into the jar (don’t rinse the veg first, but do discard the salty liquid in the bowl).
Put the cider vinegar, sugar, herbs, coriander seeds and peppercorns into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and let bubble for 2 minutes. Immediately pour the pickling liquor over the veg in the jar, keeping the herbs out, but making sure the coriander seeds and peppercorns go into the jar. The veg must be completely submerged in the vinegar.
Seal the jar straight away and leave to cool completely.
Store in the fridge for at least a week before opening, then use within 10 weeks (keeping the jar in the fridge).
Serving suggestions
You can happily include a small rhubarb stalk in this mix
It is delicious served with celeriac and seaweed bubble and squeak, tartare hash or Berber barley!