A quick and simple courgette pickle, ideal when you have a glut of courgettes growing in the garden.

I love making pickle using up bits and pieces of vegetables that I have growing in the garden. The courgette plants in my garden have produced a lot of fruit this summer. It’s something I always grow as I like to eat courgette. In fact I’m a great believer in growing what you actually enjoy eating lots of. As well as the more traditional shaped courgettes I also grew a ball-shaped variety this year. I have to say it’s produced a lot of fruit. The fruit is best when picked young as that is when their flavour is more concentrated.

Nor do I waste the courgette flowers which have a beautiful delicate flavour when added to salads. However also excellent when added with fresh summer herbs to an omelette.

Whilst I enjoy making Summer roasted vegetables and simple soups, I decided it was about time I came up with something new. I have always made my own cucumber pickles from fruit kindly donated by friends from their greenhouses. That got me to thinking I could probably do something very similar with courgettes.

These type of pickles are often called “bread and butter pickles”, suggesting they are good enough to eat on their own with little more than a buttered slice of bread. I can see why as I think these are probably the tastiest pickles that I make. Also very good served with a homemade beef burger, just look at the vibrancy of colour!

Once cooled this pickle can be eaten straight away but as with all pickles it will taste far better after a few days. Stored in the fridge this pickle will keep for a couple of months. Making it a perfect way to enjoy courgettes, long after they’ve stopped fruiting in your garden.

If you’ve never tried pickling before, this is a really easy place to start. Go on give it a go.

quick courgette & shallot pickle

A quick and easy courgette & shallot pickle, perfect for using up a glut of garden vegetables.

Prep Time 1 hour

Ingredients

450 g courgettes
4 banana shallots
2 tbsp fine sea salt

pickling liquid

500 ml cider vinegar
140 g caster sugar
1 tsp english mustard powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp pickling spice
1/2 tsp chilli flakes

Instructions

Thinly slice the courgettes and shallots and place in a bowl. Sprinkle over the salt then cover with ice cold water. Stir until the salt dissolves then leave for an hour.
After an hour drain off the liquid, washing the vegetables to remove any excess salty water. Pat the vegetables dry using kitchen paper. Take care to remove as much of the water as you can.
Place all the ingredients for the pickling liquid into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow the liquid to simmer for 4-5 minutes ensuring the sugar has completely dissolved. Set this liquid aside to cool a little. Then add the courgettes and shallots to the warm liquid and give it a good stir.
Gently spoon the courgettes and shallots into a 1ltr sterilised jar (one with a tight fitting lid). Pour over the remaining liquid ensuring the vegetables are completely covered. Seal the jar and leave to cool completely.
These pickles should be stored in the fridge and will be ready to eat in a few days. However if kept in the fridge they will keep for a couple of months.

Recipe Notes

This recipe uses courgettes as it was a method of using up a glut growing in the garden. However you can easily substitute with cucumbers if preferred.