By mid summer zucchini almost becomes a forbidden word with people locking their car doors so ‘friends’ don’t leave them a large green zeppelin that got away from them in the veggie patch. Then we go into overdrive making ratatouille, zucchini fritters, zucchini loaf and once the aubergine are ripe a yummy caponata to go with some grilled chops. But for something a bit different and so easy….how about a zucchini pickle?
Zucchini and turmeric pickle recipe….
If you are anything like us the BBQ is well honed by January and in constant use and this easy zucchini pickle recipe sits well alongside grilled lamb and beef and takes a burger to a new level, also great with a grilled sausage and some caramelized onion and Dijon mustard!
- 500g green zucchini, washed, trimmed, and very thinly sliced
- 1 medium Spanish or red onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fine sea salt
- 2 cups apple-cider vinegar
- 1 cup sugar (less if you want to cut down on sweetness)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons slightly crushed yellow mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
METHOD
- Combine zucchini (can slice using a vegetable peeler) and onion with salt in a bowl. Add a few ice cubes and cold water to cover, stirring until salt dissolves, leave for an hour to soften. Drain, removing any remaining ice cubes. Dry thoroughly between two towels, or in a salad spinner to remove all water to improve flavor.
- Meanwhile In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, mustard seeds, and turmeric, over medium heat; simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand until just warm to the touch.
- Put zucchini mix into sterilized jars and pour the cooled brine over the zucchini mixture to cover. Put lids on and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before serving. Will keep for about 3 months, refrigerated, in an airtight container, easy to whip out at any bbq gathering.