Pickled Garlic

When I made the pickled vegetables a while ago, I was surprised by how mellow and tasty the garlic became after a few days of pickling. It completely loses the harshness and overpowering bite that raw garlic has, and takes on more muted tones.

While flipping through "Preserving the Harvest," I came across this recipe for pickled garlic. It looked like such a simple recipe, so I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by the results.

These pickled cloves would be excellent by themselves, stuffed into olives for a quick appetizer, or even tossed into a martini. I also think they would be a flavorful addition to any dish that calls for garlic.



Pickled Garlic

6 ounces white vinegar
4 ounces water
2 tsp coarse salt
1/8 tsp Old Bay seasoning
2 large heads of garlic, peeled
Rind of one lemon, in 1 or 2 strips if possible
1/2 tsp dill seeds
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1 small red chili pepper, whole

In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, salt, and Old Bay and bring to a boil. Add garlic and simmer 10-15 minutes, over very low heat. Place lemon rind, dill, celery seed, and chili pepper into a 1-pint jar (or 2 1/2 pints). Ladle in garlic cloves, cover with liquid, cap and seal well. Cool at room temperature. Store in fridge for 3-4 days before using.