THE QUERCY LOCAL • 53
Pickled Garlic Cloves
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Ingredients To pickle garlic, you must use raw garlic. 500g garlic cloves, peeled (about 10 garlic bulbs), 300ml white wine vinegar (5% or over) 180ml water, 1 tbsp pickling salt (or sea salt, don’t use table salt, the preservatives in it can turn the garlic blue, pretty, but not the best idea), 4 bay leaves, 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, 4 tsp mustard seeds, 2 tsp mixed peppercorns, 1 tsp chili flakes, 1 tbsp dry oregano, 4 slices of lemon, 4 ft kitchen string and a large lidded saucepan to act as a water bath (if you don’t have a water bath!) Method Sterilize the jars and lids and set aside. Fill a pan with water that is deep enough and wide enough to hold the filled jars. Place a towel in the bottom to soften the boiling process (or buy a water bath!) Bring to boil. Combine vinegar, water and salt in another pan and simmer so the salt dissolves completely, take off the heat. Divide herbs evenly between jars and then follow with garlic. Don’t overcrowd the jars by pushing the garlic down. Pour the brine mixture over making sure that the garlic is completely submerged and that there is about 2 cm of free space at the top so that you can place a slice of lemon on the top to help keep garlic under the level of the brine. Using a toothpick release any air pockets if you see any. Seal the jars tightly. Wrap each jar in a newspaper (to prevent jars from cracking in case they hit against each other) and tie kitchen string tightly around the top of each jar leaving ends loose, so you can safely and securely lower jars into the hot water bath. No need for string if you have long tongs. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. When done, cover the top of your pan with a lid and drain the water as you would do with boiled potatoes inside. Cool pickled garlic jars to room temperature. Well worth the effort.
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Published March, May, July, September and November each year The Quercy Local • May - June 2017