And pickled veggies never looked so good (thanks greatly to Gabriel’s photography)!

Enjoy them with alongside a fest or pack them as a snack with some crusty bread for an outdoor adventure.

What you’ll need

• 450 grams baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
• 220 grams baby beets or small beets, boiled until cooked and peeled
• 220 grams radishes, trimmed and sliced

For the pickle potion:

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 jalapeños, sliced in half
• 1/4 cup hibiscus tea (loose leaf tea)
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp crushed pepper corns
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 cups water

How to pickle

Place the hibiscus tea, jalapenos, and apple cider vinegar in a large jug and muddle them for about a minute.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Don’t forget to taste for seasoning. According to Gabriel, the liquid should taste “brine-y, acidic, and a touch salty, but not overpowering”.  If the flavour is too subtle, then your pickles will also lack flavour.

Allow the pickle liquid to sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes so the flavours can develop.

In clean canning or mason jars, pour a small amount of your pickle liquid and then add your veggies.  Squeeze the veggies in so it’s a snug fit and fill with more liquid.

Repeat with the rest of your jars.

Ensure all your jars get a good amount of the peppercorns, hibiscus and jalapeño.

Wait patiently for at least a day before cracking open your pickle jars. Gabriel suggests they’ll last in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

Happy pickling!

Recipe & Photography: The Artful Desperdo
(click the link, they have lots of other yummy recipes too!)