Over the years, my basic pickling recipe has become …
- 2 tsp mustard seed
- 1 tsp coriander seed
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp whole allspice
- ½ tsp red chilli flakes (or fresh chillis, 1 for each jar)
- 1 bay leaf
… my default for pickles and chutneys; enough for 1 pint/600ml of vinegar. Simple enough to use; just add to the vinegar, and bring to a gentle boil for 2-3 minutes.
Tweaks. The whole point is that each new batch should have its own surprise, and taste just a little different. I generally add one (rarely more) of these little extras …
- 2-3 whole cloves
- ½ tsp ground ginger, or grated root ginger
- the seeds from 3-4 cardamom pods
- a blade of mace
- a stick of cinnamon
- a few juniper berries
- 1 tsp of dill or fennel seeds
- 3-4 cloves of peeled garlic
Gavin cooks 