Vivian Howard Parties with Pickles on ‘A Chef’s Life’

Gillie Houston   –   www.yahoo.com

For most, pickles represent a source of salty brine and satisfying crunch; for others, they represent much more. “Cucumber pickles are a way of life here in eastern North Carolina,” Chef Vivian Howard says in the promo for the next episode of A Chef’s Life.This week, Howard visits a cucumber farm and gets a lesson in the ins-and-outs of pickles.

First, she heads into the kitchen to be taught the art of pickling from a family who has been doing it for generations. Howard asks her guest: “What did your mother do with the pickles?” His answer? “Had them with chocolate cake.” The host tries the oddball combination and admits it’s surprisingly good.

Howard then gets to flex her farm skills, watching in awe as some 15-20 massive dump trucks per day are filled with the harvested green vegetables, ready to be soaked, jarred, and enjoyed by pickle lovers everywhere. To learn how to make your own quick pickles, check out the recipe below.

Check your local PBS listings to find out when A Chef’s Life airs in your area.

PICKLES

In this episode we show you how to make fermented pickles. That process takes days. If you don’t have that kind of time and need pickles pronto, try this recipe for making quick pickles.

Quick-Pickled Cucumbers and Onions

Makes about 4 cups

1 pound small, seedless cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch rounds
1 bunch spring onions, cut into rings or 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 (12-ounce) bottle unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the cucumbers and onions in a 1-quart jar with tight-fitting lid.

Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 2 minutes. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and onions, making sure the vegetables are submerged.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled before serving. Store covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Love Vivian Howard? Check out these stories:

Why Vivian Howard is the Southern chef you should know

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Vivian says: Don’t mess with Mom’s classic recipes