Weeknight pickles
· 2 min read
The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, not sticky. Use what is in season and the recipe for the most part writes itself. This keeps for a week in the fridge and improves by day three.
Why it matters
None of this is new, and that is partly why it works. What surprised me most was how little equipment it needed. Salt early, taste often, and do not rush the onions.
What I would do differently
Most of the flavour comes from a steady hand rather than ingredients. I make a double batch and freeze half for busy weeks. I tested the crisp version first. It did not last.
Most of what I know about citrus came from getting it wrong first. Most problems with stock turn out to be problems with time. This got going as a quick note and gradually turned into something longer. Good roasted vegetables is for the most part a series of small, unglamorous decisions. Good braised beans is for the most part a series of small, unglamorous decisions.
Looking ahead
Every spring I revisit the same questions about braised beans. Serve it with good bread and whatever greens look best. Here is what shifted, and what stayed exactly the same.
A few details
In April the light changes, and so does the work. Below are a few notes, roughly in the order I found out them. I would rather do one thing with care than five things fast.
The best advice I got was just to slow down. Some of this will be plain; some of it took me years. The result is not perfect, but it is truthful. I wrote most of this on a quiet Sunday morning. There is no single right way to approach cooking for friends, but some ways are kinder than others.
This is less a primer and more a record of what worked for me.
I keep a short list of things to try next; shopping at the market is near the top.
stockroasted vegetables