FRENCH PICKLED RADISHES

By Ana Larramendi

Gluten-Free, Vegan*
1 pint

It is spring and the first burst of veggies that show up in abundance are leafy greens and, if you planted them, RADISHES!  Maybe more radishes than you know what to do with, or can eat enough of! This is when simple refrigerator pickles are a Godsend… They are fast and easy to make, and will keep in your refrigerator for weeks. They make a nice little snack by themselves, but are also an excellent condiment to add to different foods. These pickled radishes have a lovely pink hue and just need a day to be ready to eat straight out of the jar! Enjoy!
 
Ingredients:
½ pound radishes or baby turnips
Several thin slices of red onion or white part of a green onion/green garlic
3-4 sprigs of fresh tarragon
 
Brine for 1 pint:
1 cup white wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1/2 cup water (preferably filtered)
2 tablespoons honey or granulated sugar*
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
½ Teas. whole mustard seed
1 clove garlic, sliced

Instructions:
Have ready a washed, sterilized, 1-pint (2 cup) canning jar with lid.

Thoroughly wash the radish bulbs, cut off the stem and root ends then thinly slice the radishes.
Alternate filling the pint jar with the sliced radishes, sliced onion and sprigs of tarragon till it is filled within a ½ inch from the rim.
 
Brine: In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, water, honey/sugar, kosher salt, mustard seed and the garlic. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, and then remove from the heat.

Pour the hot vinegar mix into the jar covering the radishes. Place the lid on the jar. Allow the radishes to sit and cool a little, then refrigerate. They will be ready to eat in about 24 hours and will keep refrigerated for 3-4 weeks.
 
*For vegan, substitute sugar or agave syrup for honey
 
Notes:
This recipe doubles or triples very easily. So if you find that you have more than one pint of sliced radishes, just fill a second jar and double the brine recipe.
 
Variations:
Sweeter- Use 3 instead of 2 TB of honey
Spicier- add ½ to 1 teas. red pepper flakes to brine
No Tarragon?--add ½ teas. dill seed to brine
Works great with cucumbers! Just substitute sliced cucumbers for the sliced radishes!
 
How to use: I love these pickled radishes chopped up and mixed in with my favorite egg salad or tuna salad recipe.  Also, you can add them as a tangy condiment to an avocado, tomato and cheese sandwich!