The Plate

“We pickle all kinds of local vegetables—baby carrots and beets, onions, cauliflower, shishito peppers, jalapeños, habaneros. We have a jar of pickled vegetables on our menu, but we also use them as flavor vehicles for things like mayonnaise, mustard, and aioli. We try to make sure that almost every item on the menu is accessible in our retail butcher shop, so we sell our pickled vegetables there, too. Pickling is just one of our staple techniques. Our motto is, ‘When in doubt, pickle it.’ It usually yields us a very rewarding product.” — Ethan Moyer, Chef Du CuisinePickled Vegetables
Block & Grinder, MooresvilleStart to finish: 10 minutes, plus3+ days to pickleMakes: 3 quarts pickling liquid2 quarts apple cider vinegar1 quart white vinegar2 cloves garlic½ carrot, peeled and quartered½ celery stalk, quartered½ yellow onion, quartered1 pod star anise1 tablespoon toasted coriander seed½ tablespoon celery seed½ tablespoon cuminJuice from half an orange, lemon, and limeCombine ingredients and boil for 5 minutes. Cool completely, strain, then pour over your choice of vegetables in sealable containers. Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least three days.