Turkish Pickles

I am constantly buying Turkish pickles and the boy suggested we have a go at our own version. I’m listing the vegetables we used but anything goes really. It made 3 big jars

Small white cabbage

2 carrots

6 baby cucumbers (Gherkin size)

1 red pepper

2 stalks celery

2 Dolmas style pepper

1 mild red chillies

2 cloves garlic

White wine vinegar

Much chopping to start with but keep everything quite chunky. The cabbage needs to be wedges, not individual leaves. The Dolmas peppers are very pale green  and the cucumbers no bigger than a finger. The chillies and garlic are really just to flavour the vinegar.

The fun part – and the only part the boy wants to help with- is layering all the veg in the jars. I think these should be a colourful joy to look at.

Almost cover the vegetables with white wine vinegar and then top up with water to dilute it slightly. I add a little rock salt though this isn’t traditional. I’ve also seen versions with a higher water to vinegar ratio so have a go at what suits you. The boy and I like sharpness in a pickle so we’ve gone for 80% vinegar, 20% water.

Leave for 2 weeks. Enjoy with fatty lamb chops and rice. Or anything.