HOME & LIVING
B2 — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD
TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021
Three kinds of easy homemade pickles
By GRETCHEN McKAY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
It’s the rare person who
doesn’t love pickles.
Besides giving ham-
burgers a crunchy, vinegary
fi nish or a bloody Mary
martini its zing, pickles
are packed with the good
bacteria called probiotics,
which makes them terrifi c
for gut health.
You might like pickles
even more if you knew how
easy they are to make with
just a few simple ingredients
you might already have in
your pantry.
If you go with the refrig-
erator version, all you have
to do it slice a few cucum-
bers and boil a mixture of
water, vinegar, sugar and
spices. Fridge pickles are
exactly as billed: a type of
fresh pickle that goes right
into the refrigerator instead
of being preserved in a hot
water bath and put up. They
can last for up to a month
chilled, though the longer
they sit, the less crisp they
become.
For those of you who
simply, ahem, relish pickles,
we’re providing 3 recipes
for fridge pickles: old-fash-
ioned bread and butter
VEGGIES
Continued from Page B1
and then add the second piece of
bread to make a sandwich. Serve
with plenty of napkins.
CURRY
ROASTED
CARROTS AND
FINGERLING
POTATOES
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This is also good with skinny sticks
of peeled parsnips instead of
carrots.
(sweet, with onions), classic
dill and quick-pickled
peaches, which sound weird
but actually taste great on
top of pound cake or vanilla
ice cream.
All are easy, and just
as tangy and fl avorful as
canned pickles. Be sure
to wash the produce thor-
oughly and sterilize the
pickling container before
packing the pickles. I use
glass Mason jars.
BREAD AND
BUTTER
PICKLES
These have a crisp texture and
sweet-sour fl avor. They pair well
with cheese and are awesome on
top of a crispy chicken sandwich.
2 pounds pickling
cucumbers, sliced thin
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Combine cucumbers, onions
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
Fahrenheit. Lightly oil a large
rimmed baking sheet.
2. Mix 1/4 cup oil, 2 table-
spoons ketchup, 1 1/2 teaspoons
curry powder, 1 teaspoon hot
sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and
1/2 teaspoon salt in the bottom of
a large bowl.
3. Add 1 pound halved fi nger-
ling potatoes, 1 pound trimmed,
peeled, halved carrots, 1 large cut
onion and 1 can beans. Toss to
coat well with the sauce.
4. Scrape mixture out onto pre-
pared baking sheet. Bake, stirring
once or twice, until potatoes and
carrots are fork-tender, about 35
minutes.
5. Sprinkle with chopped herbs.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound fi ngerling potatoes,
preferably multicolored,
halved lengthwise
1 pound slender orange
or multicolored carrots,
ends trimmed, peeled,
halved crosswise
1 large sweet onion, ends
trimmed, halved cut into
1/2-inch thick wedges
1 can (14.5 ounces) black beans
or chickpeas, drained
3 tablespoons chopped
fresh herbs, such as
chives and cilantro
SWEET CORN,
GREEN
CHILE AND
CHEDDAR
PUDDING
FAST
Transfer chicken and sauce to a
platter and top with parsley; serve
with lemon wedges.
Per serving: 435 calories; 26
g fat; 10 g saturated fat; 130 mg
cholesterol; 33 g protein; 14 g car-
bohydrate; no sugar; no fi ber; 700
mg sodium; 20 mg calcium
Recipe from Bon Appétit
Continued from Page B1
1. Slice chicken breasts in half
crosswise into 4 cutlets and lightly
pound each piece between sheets
of plastic wrap until an even
thickness (about 1/2-inch thick
or less). Season lightly with salt.
Place fl our in a medium shallow
bowl. Working one at a time, place
cutlets in bowl and toss to coat in
fl our. Knock off excess fl our and
transfer to a plate.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the
oil in a large skillet over medi-
um-high. Working in batches if
needed to avoid overcrowding the
pan, cook cutlets, without moving
them, until deeply browned
underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn
over and cook on the other side
just until chicken is nearly cooked
through, about 30 seconds. Trans-
fer to a clean plate.
3. Add garlic and remaining 1
tablespoon oil to the skillet and
cook, stirring often and reducing
heat if needed to keep garlic from
scorching, until golden brown,
about 2 minutes. Add wine and
capers and cook, swirling pan and
scraping up any browned bits
stuck to the bottom of skillet, until
liquid is almost completely evap-
orated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2
cup water, followed by the butter.
Swirl pan vigorously while butter
melts to help it form an emulsion
with water, about 1 minute.
4. Return chicken to skillet and
simmer until chicken is cooked
through and sauce is thick enough
to coat a spoon, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir lemon
juice into sauce; season with salt.
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 1 1/4 hours
Makes 8 servings
Shred your own cheese for the
best results; it will be free of
additives.
Ingredients:
3 medium-size ears sweet
corn, shucked OR 2 cups (8
ounces) frozen corn kernels
8 large eggs
5 tablespoons unsalted
butter, softened
BUCATINI
WITH BELL
PEPPER SAUCE
Yield: 4 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 shallot
1 small garlic clove
3 red or yellow bell peppers
12 ounces bucatini, linguine
or fettucine, see note
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons chopped
fresh marjoram
Salt and pepper
Note: Bucatini, a thick form
of spaghetti with a hole
through the middle, is
available at specialty stores.
1. Put a large pot of salted
water on high heat and bring to
a boil. Meanwhile, heat the oil
in a large pan over medium low
heat. Peel and chop the shallot;
add to the pan. Chop the
garlic and add to the pan; stir
frequently. Chop the peppers;
when you’re done with the fi rst,
add it to the pan and turn the
heat up to medium high. Stir
occasionally while chopping
the other peppers; add them to
the pan.
2. Cook the pasta accord-
and salt in a large, shallow bowl;
cover and chill 1-2 hours.
Remove cucumbers to a colan-
der and rinse thoroughly under
cold water. Drain well and return
vegetables to bowl.
Combine granulated sugar,
white vinegar, apple cider vinegar,
brown sugar, mustard seeds,
celery seeds and ground turmeric
in a medium saucepan. Bring to a
simmer over medium heat, stirring
until the sugar dissolves, and cook
for 1 minute.
Pour the hot vinegar mixture
over the cucumber mixture.
Let cool to room temperature,
then ladle into pint jars or other
airtight containers and refriger-
ate 24 hours. Store in an airtight
container.
— Gretchen McKay,
Post-Gazette
EASY
REFRIGERATOR
DILL PICKLES
This makes a bit more brine than
you’ll need for 4 pint-sized jars,
but I hate it when I come up short.
Fresh dill, which you can fi nd in
bunches at farmers markets, is
essential.
12 pickling cucumbers
4 large garlic cloves, halved
1 white portion of large leek
or 1 medium-size white
onion, fi nely chopped
1 small poblano chile or
medium-size jalapeno, cored
seeded, fi nely chopped
6 tablespoons fl our
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups skim or lowfat milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white cheddar
cheese, about 5 ounces
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
or green onions
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions:
1. Using a sharp knife and
working over a shallow bowl, cut
corn kernels from 3 medium-sized
cobs. You should have 2 generous
cups. Puree the corn nearly
smooth with an immersion blend-
er or in the food processor.
2. Carefully separate 8 eggs
as follows: Crack one egg over a
small bowl letting the whites run
into the small bowl. Tip the yolk
into a second small bowl. Then
tip the egg white (which should
be free of any yolk) into the large
bowl of an electric mixer. Repeat
to separate all the eggs in the
same manner with the yolks in the
small bowl and the whites in the
large mixer bowl.
3. Melt 5 tablespoons butter
in a large saucepan. Add the
chopped white portion of 1
leek and 1 fi nely chopped chile
pepper; saute until soft, about 5
minutes.
4. Stir in 6 tablespoons fl our
and 2 cloves crushed garlic; cook
and stir for 2 minutes.
ing to the directions on the
package.
3. Meanwhile, cook the
peppers mixture, stirring occa-
sionally, until tender, about 10
minutes. Place the mixture in a
blender or food processor and
process to a puree. Return to the
pan, stir in the cream, and sea-
son with plenty of salt and some
pepper to taste. Keep warm.
4. When the pasta is done,
drain and add to the sauce.
Cook for 1 minute, stir in the
marjoram, and serve.
Per serving: 517 calories; 14
g fat; 5 g saturated fat; 17 mg
cholesterol; 15 g protein; 84
g carbohydrate; 3 g sugar; 5 g
fi ber; 608 mg sodium; 111 mg
calcium
— Adapted from “The Silver
Spoon”
CHUCKWAGON
CHILI
Yield: 4 servings
2 tablespoons oil, if using
ground turkey
1 pound ground turkey
or ground beef
3 teaspoons mustard seeds
3 teaspoons peppercorns
1 bunch dill sprigs
4 cups water
4 cups distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup cane sugar
4 tablespoons sea salt
Slice cucumbers lengthwise
into quarters, or eighths, depend-
ing on how fat the cucumber is
and how fat you want your pickles.
To make dill pickle chips, thinly
slice them horizontally.
Divide sliced cucumbers among
four 8-ounce glass jars. Divide
garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns
among the jars, and add a couple
of dill sprigs to each jar.
Bring water, vinegar, sugar
and salt to a simmer in a medium
saucepan set over medium heat.
Stir until sugar and salt dissolve,
about 1-2 minutes. Let cool slightly
and pour over cucumbers. Set jars
aside to cool to room temperature,
then place in the refrigerator.
Pickles will get more fl avorful
the longer they sit in the fridge.
They can be stored for several
weeks.
— Gretchen McKay,
Post-Gazette
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
5. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk
until smooth. Heat to a boil, then
reduce heat and whisk constantly
for 3 minutes. Stir in pureed corn
and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Remove
from heat.
6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups white
cheddar cheese, then egg yolks.
Stir until the cheese is melted. Stir
in 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives.
7. Cover with plastic wrap di-
rectly on the surface and set aside
for up to 30 minutes.
8. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Generously butter a 3-quart bak-
ing dish that is at least 2 inches
deep.
9. Beat the egg whites on high
until foamy. Beat in 1 tablespoon
sugar until soft peaks form, but
mixture is not dry.
10. Use a rubber spatula to fold
1/3 of the whites into the corn
and cheese mixture to lighten
it. Then transfer the mixture to
the remaining egg whites in the
bowl. Fold gently until most of the
streaks of egg white are incorpo-
rated. Scrape the mixture into the
prepared baking dish.
11. Bake until puff ed and top
is deep golden brown, about 30
minutes. You can leave the dish in
the turned off oven with the door
slightly ajar for up to 30 minutes.
Serve hot when it’s at its puffi est,
or at room temperature.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Makes about 2 cups
Serve these alongside grilled
meat and fi sh or stirred into softly
set scrambled eggs. Or, pile over a
baked sweet or russet potato with
a dollop of crème fraiche. Chilled
and chopped, the combo makes a
hearty salad topping.
SWEET
ONIONS AND
MUSHROOMS
FROM THE
SKILLET
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
(for mild), 2 teaspoons
(for medium) or 1
tablespoon (for spicy)
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can red kidney beans,
undrained
1. Place a large pot on medi-
um-high heat. If using turkey,
add the oil. Cook the turkey or
beef, onions and garlic powder,
stirring frequently, until the
meat is cooked through. Drain
the liquid, if any, and return the
ingredients to the pot.
2. Stir in the chili powder,
smoked paprika, oregano, cum-
in, salt, tomatoes and beans.
Cook, stirring occasionally,
until beans are tender, about 15
minutes.
Per serving: 342 calories; 17
g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 78 mg
cholesterol; 29 g protein; 21
g carbohydrate; 6 g sugar; 6 g
fi ber; 587 mg sodium; 98 mg
Store is open 24 hours
7 am to 7 pm Take Out Only
515 Campbell Street Baker City
541-523-4318
Pickling fruit brings out its natural
sweetness, with a bit of zip. This
recipe for pickled peaches makes
an excellent topping for a variety
of desserts, including vanilla ice
cream. “Very diff erent taste, but
good with pound cake,” my sister
told me after sampling the jar I
gifted her.
Be sure to pick peaches that are
ripe but still fi rm or you will end up
with mushy fruit. I used Gochuga-
ru, the Korean version of red
pepper fl akes, for some extra kick.
QUICK
PICKLED
PEACHES
VISIT BAKER’S MOST
INTERESTING STORE
Take out and Catering is Available.
Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette-TNS
Pickled peaches are easy to make and will add a surprising, summery
tang to ice cream or pound cake.
Ingredients:
2 large sweet onions
(about 18 ounces)
2 tablespoons sunfl ower
or saffl ower oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced
assorted mushrooms, such
as cremini, oyster, maitake,
shitake (about 6 ounces)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh
herbs, such as chives, cilantro,
basil, tarragon, parsley
Directions:
1. Cut 2 large sweet onions in
half through the stem end. Set cut
side up on the cutting board, then
thinly slice at an angle to create
wedge shaped pieces.
2. Heat a large nonstick or
well-seasoned cast-iron skillet
over medium-high heat until hot.
Add 2 tablespoons sunfl ower oil
and then onion slices. Cook over
medium-high heat, stirring often,
until onions are golden brown
and tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in 1 1/2 cups mushrooms;
cook and stir until golden, 3 to 5
minutes. Stir in 2 cloves crushed
garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook
1 minute.
2 teaspoons whole black
peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick,
broken into small pieces
4 large, slightly fi rm
peeled peaches
Combine fi rst 8 ingredients in
a large saucepan; bring to a boil.
Cook 2 minutes, stirring until sugar
dissolves.
Remove from heat; let stand 10
minutes. Cut each peach into 12
wedges. Add peaches to vinegar
mixture and let stand 20 minutes.
Remove peaches with a slotted
spoon.
Makes about 2 cups.
— Adapted from cookinglight.
com
4. Refrigerate covered up to 1
week. Serve warm sprinkled with
1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs.
SAUTÉED
CHARD WITH
GARLIC
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Makes 2 to 3 servings.
Multicolored rainbow chard is
beautiful here.
Ingredients:
2 bunches fresh Swiss chard,
16 ounces total, well
rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat
1 medium yellow onion,
thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
Coarse (kosher) salt
1. Trim tough ends from chard
stalks. Use a paring knife to
remove stalks, then slice stalks
crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces. Roll
up leaves and slice crosswise into
1/2 inch wide ribbons.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet
until hot. Add 2 tablespoons oil
or bacon fat, then thinly-sliced
onion; sauté until onion is soft,
about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in 2 cloves crushed garlic,
the chard stems and a generous
sprinkle of salt. Saute 2 minutes.
Add chard leaves and cook, turn-
ing the greens as they wilt and
collapse (but leaving some greens
slightly undercooked), about 2
minutes. Remove pan from heat.
Serve right away.
4 pork chops
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1. Preheat oven broiler (or grill)
on medium-high heat. Season
chops with salt, pepper and garlic
powder just before cooking.
hot. Sear chops on both sides
until golden and cooked through
(about 4 to 5 minutes each side).
Transfer to a plate; set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Melt
butter in the same pan, scraping
up any browned bits from the
bottom of the pan. Sauté garlic
until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the honey, water and vinegar.
Increase heat to medium-high
and continue to cook until the
sauce reduces down and thickens
slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes,
stirring occasionally.
4. Place pork back into the pan,
baste generously with the sauce
and broil or grill for 1 to 2 minutes,
or until edges are slightly charred.
Per serving: 440 calories; 18 g fat;
6 g saturated fat; 140 mg choles-
terol; 48 g protein; 20 g carbohy-
drate; 18 g sugar; no fi ber; 725 mg
sodium; 30 mg calcium
2. Heat oil in a pan or skillet
over medium high heat until
— Recipe from cafedelites.
com
calcium
— Adapted from a recipe by
General Mills
EASY HONEY
GARLIC PORK
CHOPS
Yield: 4 servings
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