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Quick-Pickled French Breakfast Radishes
French breakfast radishes pack into a jar with sliced garlic, mustard seeds, pink peppercorns, coriander seeds, broken bay leaves, and strips of fresh lemon peel. Champagne vinegar goes into the brine for a lighter, more delicate acid than white wine vinegar, barely sweetened with one and a half teaspoons of sugar. The whole process takes 20 minutes, and the pickles are ready to eat as soon as the brine cools. Toss onto tacos, layer into avocado toast, or set out alongside a cheese board.
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 bunches (about 8 ounces / 225 g total) French breakfast radishes
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2 bay leaves, broken into pieces
- 1 lemon
- 1½ cups (360 ml) water
- ¾ cup (180 ml) champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1Trim the radishes by cutting off most of their spindly roots and all but a tiny bit of their green tops.
- 2Pack the trimmed radishes into four 8-ounce (240 ml) jars. Divide the garlic slices, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and coriander seeds evenly among the jars.
- 3Use a vegetable peeler to remove 4 strips of lemon peel. Hold each strip above a jar, curl it into a twist to release the citrus oils, and drop it inside.
- 4Combine the water, champagne vinegar, sea salt, and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until the salt and sugar dissolve completely.
- 5Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the brine cool for a few minutes. Pour the warm liquid over the radishes to submerge them completely.
Notes
- Storage: Cover the jars tightly with lids and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Tip: For the best flavor, let the radishes sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours before eating so they can absorb the brine.
- Swap: You can use standard red radishes if French breakfast radishes aren't available. Just slice them into rounds or wedges first so they pickle evenly.