Last weekend I picked the final harvest of banana peppers from our summer garden. I know Fall is a lovely time of year, but I am not quite ready to say goodbye to warm weather and sun ripened tomatoes.
My husband and I were excited to try growing banana peppers for the first time this year, and when we found a simple pickling recipe that could be used across multiple kinds of produce, we realized we had to try our hand at making simple refrigerator pickles. Unlike traditional pickling, refrigerator pickles are fast and safe, requiring no special equipment or intricate sanitizing or sealing processes.
I love creating my own unique combinations of pickling spices - a mélange of whatever strikes your fancy when you open your spice cupboard. What makes these particular peppers so special is the use of both Black and White Wynad Peppercorns. If you have not yet tried Wynad Pepper, you must. Plain old black pepper will never be the same once you taste the depth and warmth that Wynad offers. Simply put, it is delicious. What makes these peppercorns so unique is their harvesting - they are left on the vine to ripen, then lovingly harvested by hand when each berry has reached perfection. The result is a pepper worthy to be paired with home-grown produce that has been grown with equally attentive care.
The basic recipe for refrigerator pickles is below - try on produce of your choice, such as radishes, small onions or of course banana peppers!
Bring 1 cup water to a boil, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt (I used Grey Sea Salt - Fine), 1 tablespoon of sugar, and your choice of spices (try a mix of cardamom pods, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, Turkish bay leaves, dill weed, and both Black and White whole Wynad Peppercorns.) Boil for a minute or two, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of white vinegar.
Place sliced or whole vegetables in mason jars (approximately 2 cups of produce), and pour liquid over produce, covering vegetables. Seal jar and place in refrigerator. Let sit for 1-3 days before opening. Keep in refrigerator for up to one month.
Enjoy!
