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Kayte's favorite pickled carrots

The pickles are ready to eat on the same day, but their flavor develops with age.
The pickles are ready to eat on the same day, but their flavor develops with age.

These carrots remind me of the ones you can find on the tables at taquerias in Houston, Texas. They are easy to make and keep well in the fridge. I like to make them with winter carrots from my garden. You can listen to me walking through the steps of the recipe on this episode of Earth Eats.

 

Pickled Carrots
2 lbs carrots

2 jalapeños 

1/2 cup medium white onion (about half an onion)

3-4 cloves garlic, smashed

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

1 tbsp olive oil

5 bay leaves whole

10 black peppercorns

2 tsp dried Mexican oregano (or original oregano)

1 tsp salt

Peel and slice the carrots into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Cut the onions into thin wedges. Cut the stems off jalapeños and slice about a quarter inch thick.

Heat the oil n a large stock pot and add the garlic onion and carrots. Saute for about a minute, until fragrant.

Add the vinegar, water, bay leaves, peppercorns, oregano, jalapeños and salt. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, uncovered.

Allow to cool completely and store vegetables and cooking liquid in clean, sterile glass containers with lid (this recipe fills 4 pint or 2 quart jars.) If more liquid is needed to cover add equal parts water and white vinegar. Keep refrigerated.

You can try them after 3 hours or so, but they are best if pickled for few days. They will last for months in your fridge. 

Kayte Young discovered her passion for growing, cooking, foraging and preserving fresh food when she moved to Bloomington in 2007. With a background in construction, architecture, nutrition education and writing, she brings curiosity and a love of storytelling to a show about all things edible. Kayte raises bees, a small family and a yard full of food in Bloomington’s McDoel Gardens neighborhood.