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I guess it’s no secret by now. I like pickled things.
Remember Pickled Rhubarb? How about Pickled Shrimp? Just last week I featured a pickled fish known as Escabeche. I have a vinegary Filipino adobo coming to these pages very soon.
Well, pickled things are also a staple in Turkish cuisine. I have been reading quite a bit about Turkish cooking lately and will soon start featuring a few of my finds every once in a while.
So, with my love of pickles I was naturally very intrigued when I read that in Istanbul there are entire shops devoted to pickles. The photos I have seen are very inspiring. Shop windows filled with stunning displays of pickled things gleaming like jewels in the sunlight. It’s common to see brined cucumbers, peppers, cabbage, beets and stuffed eggplant in these shops. But there can also less expected versions of the plain ol’ pickle too. Things like whole ears of corn, unusual fruits and even pinecones!
In my exploration of traditional Ottoman cuisine I read that during the 18th century one of the most common appetizers (meze) was a combination of cucumber and fennel made bold with garlic and spices. The book I was reading did not mention whether this dish was pickled or not. But it seems to me to be an ideal candidate.
So I have recreated my own version of this Turkish delight! My vegetables are left in the brine overnight and no longer, because I wanted to maintain the bright crunchy texture that makes me love cucumbers so much. Which means this recipe falls somewhere between a salad and a true pickle. But the bold sour bite of vinegar is unmistakable and completely addicting!
Cucumber & Fennel Meze serves 4 CLICK here for a printable recipe
1 lb very young cucumbers or better yet, persian cucumbers
- 2 very young fennel bulbs
- 3 thai bird or similar hot pepper
- 10 clv garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
- 1 T fennel seeds
- 1 T coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
- 1⁄2 t red pepper flakes (or to taste) optional
- 3 c white vinegar
- 1 c water
- 3 T sugar
- 2 T kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 t black peppercorns
- olive oil to taste
Cut the cucumbers into 1/2-inch spears. You may need to quarter or half them. Young Persian cucumbers can often be left whole. You are looking for uniformity, so use your judgment.
Trim the fennel bulbs evenly, and cut them lengthwise into quarters. Retain the fronds for garnish. Remove some of the core, keeping the layers intact. Slice these into 1/2-inch slices.
Put the cucumbers, fennel, Thai chilis and garlic cloves into a large heat proof, low-sided bowl, tray or baking dish.
Add all the remaining ingredients to a large, non-reactive, saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool some for about 5 minutes. Then poor the hot liquid over the cucumber fennel mixture, stirring to coat well. The liquid should nearly cover all the ingredients. If not add a bit more water.
Let the mixture cool completely. You may then cover the dish and move it into the refrigerator. They will be ready to eat in about 4 hours, but will be at their best if you wait until the next day before eating them. Serve chilled on a family style platter with a bit of the marinade and a good drizzle of fruity olive oil. Garnish with fennel fronds.
SERIOUS FUN FOOD
Greg Henry
Sippity Sup
Comments
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul not Constantinople
So if you have a date in Constantinople,
She'll be waiting in Istanbul!
(Man I love that TMBG song)
I've got to ship you a jar of that chow chow. It's right up your pickle alley, although it is nowhere near as pretty.
I'm a pickle girl...
...so you and me would get along just fine (hey, we already do! :) ) I usually go the full canning route when it comes to pickles though, so it's good to be reminded (as is the case here) that there is a quicker route to homemade pickle satisfaction.
What a great collection of
What a great collection of seasonings
Wahwahweewah
This looks finger licking good. I think you'd make a Turk proud sering up a plate of this meze. You make me want to go buy some fennel, thanks Greg.
Mmmm... I've wanted to trying
Mmmm... I've wanted to trying pickling stuff before. And I do enjoy eating pickled foods.
A-mezing!
I took lots of food shots in Turkey, but I didn't see that many pickled things. But now I understand what one vendor was selling in big jars. You enlightened me and I was actually there! I'll have to show you my pic. It's quite exotic.
I've made pickles before but it took about a week. This is a great idea.
Nice...
I love this, Greg. Pickles of any kind are always so tempting to me. I think the process fascinates me a bit. I'm bookmarking this...
serious fun food
I think this definitely highlights your motto. I don't do much pickling but every time I do, I thoroughly enjoy it. Great summer side for cutting fatty grilled meats.
Looks and sounds amazing,
Looks and sounds amazing, funny how you can crave that sour taste and still love sweet stuff at the same time. Look forward to your other sour posts, especially the adobo one!
I think you may have just
I think you may have just discovered a way to get me to actually LIKE raw fennel. I'd love anything that sat in salt and vinegar overnight.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PIC
GREG - The pic is a work of art in aesthetics and color contrasts....I can't decide who'd be more pleased - Ricardo Legorreta or Paul Klee! :)
Your version of Turkish delight reminds me of Kim Chee too - amazing what a little bit of pickling can do to veggies like cucumber, cabbage and fennel.
This has got to be one of your most stunning plates - and that's saying something considering they're all stunning.
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
I really like your photo
I really like your photo composition and colors. And the pickles,too.
Very Inspiring!
As a lover of pickled things too I just had to say something Greg! OMG! I am in pickle heaven! The idea of pickling fennel is very appealing and you have paired it wonderfully with the cucumbers! And the fronds make a beautiful garnish! Bookmarked!
I too love pickled foods!
Cool and pickled are a sign of summer for me! I had the best salad the other day with fennel root, I can only imagine it being even more fabulous pickled!
I like my pickles crisp too.
I like my pickles crisp too. I'm too lazy to do the full on canning so this is a nice option.
Further trial and error?
Greg, I love the idea of this dish. I wonder though, if you wanted to maintain the crispness of the ingredients, but still have a "pickle," then would fermenting them in a weaker acid solution work? It seems like something for an expiriment!
Part of the joy of the pickle is the versatility of it. I can imagine the heat the thai bird chilies give off. I saw some yellow banana peppers the other day that might fit the bill though, perhaps something to think on.
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