Who’s afraid of the big bad pickle? For a beginner pickles can be intimidating. Normal pickling takes advantage of a brine or vinegar to preserve fruits or vegetables. There is a lot to worry about when pickling. Contamination is probably the largest concern (no one wants botulism), you want certain halophilic cultures to thrive but if your salt or pH is off you can end up with an unwanted culture taking over. Next you have to worry about what kind of spice mixes, the correct balance of different spices, not to mention what the spices will taste like after fermentation. Add in the question of time in the brine before cracking them open. You end up with more questions than answers. And in the words of Sweet Brown “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

I love a great pickle. There is no denying they are tasty, but I’m of the opinion that aged pickles are not for the weak of heart. Fear not, there is another option to get that wonderful tart flavor with only a fraction of the time. A quick pickle.

I’m not only talking about cucumbers. Anywhere other than the US when you say pickle it often has a VERY different meaning. Pickle refers only to a pickled vegetable or fruit. That’s it. As great as a kosher dill cucumber pickle from a deli is, there are so many other options. One of my favorites is Indian mango pickle. It will redefine what you think of as a pickle. I understand not everyone is ready to go there yet, so baby steps.

So let’s redefine a great pickle. Today we’re highlighting Mexican pickled carrots. I LOVE the taste, I do not love the oil and the mushy texture. Also when I’m making tostones and want that extra bit of acid on the plate, I don’t want to spend hours for something I want for one day. So I go for the quick pickle. Quick pickling is usually done with vinegar. All you are doing is infusing a food with an acid. It takes minutes versus hours (or days) and the taste for a lot of things is comparable. I will say for my quick pickles, I like to keep the flavors very simple because quick pickles don’t take up as much of the added spices as pickles that sit in brine for weeks.

Mexican Quick Pickle Carrots

• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 jalapeño (or other chile) sliced into rings with the seeds
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 3 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar

Mix carrots, jalapeño, and onion in a large heat safe vessel. Mix vinegar, salt and sugar in a pan, and boil. Once vinegar mixture is boiling, pour it over vegetables and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Drain off most of the vinegar and serve.

You can quickly modify this recipe to fit whatever dish you want. When I make Bahn Mi, I substitute rice vinegar for white, and add daikon and ginger to make a quick pickle for the sandwich. There are hundreds of combinations you can try. Share your favorites in the comments!