[arugula]

Hi all,

I have been given a lovely 4lb red cabbage which I intend to pickle. I like the look of Val's recipe, but I'm not 100% sure about the spiced vinegar.

Two questions really:

Does anyone have or know of any workable variations to this?

Any idea how many jars of pickle a cabbage this size will make?

Thanks!

[mumofstig]

what exactly don't you like the look of with the vinegar 

explain please

[Aunt Sally]

I have always pickled red cabbage in the way that Val does and it always turns out wonderful.

[Val H]

The spices that you use to spice the vinegar can be adapted to your own taste.

[arugula]

what exactly don't you like the look of with the vinegar 

explain please

Sorry, I left my post thinking that you would need to know that.... 

Val uses allspice which I don't keep but I suppose I could get some, cinnamon stick which I seriously might struggle getting round here and I don't keep ground cinnamon (but I suppose I could) and cloves ( ) which I avoid at all costs.

 

The spices that you use to spice the vinegar can be adapted to your own taste.

Thank you Val. Bearing in mind the first part of my reply, have you any suggestions?

[Val H]

Number 3 recipe in my book might work - it still calls for allspice though. It's a bit hotter than most.

28 g mustard seeds (usually very easy to get)
7 g dried chillies (you could use your own)
14 g cloves
14 g black peppercorns
28 g whole allspice berries (you could use ground allspice which is easier to obtain but it might make the vinegar look a bit murky - if you use red wine vinegar you won't notice!)

This is enough spices for 2 pints (1.1 litres) of vinegar.

You could up the other quantities and miss out the cloves if your really dislike them.

[Val H]

As for how many jars it will make, it depends on the size of the jars!

[arugula]

Thanks Val, I have all those ingredients apart from the allspice, which I will get and the cloves which I will not . I'll try this recipe.

As for the jars, yeeessssss I must have been having a senior moment there  . I have 4 glass clip lid jars, which I would normally use for onions, I'm sure they'll do the job!

 

[arugula]

OK, I've made the pickle this afternoon, using the vinegar recipe you quoted here, Val. Its looking and tasting good! I omitted the cloves and upped the other quantities a bit to compensate - I think the allspice imparts quite a "clovey" enough flavour for me! I shall try it properly in a week or so.

Thanks very much for your help Val!

[arugula]

Well thanks again Val for your help with this!

We have sampled the pickled red cabbage and I have to say it is lovely. Quite clovey enough for my palate and with quite a chilli kick. We had it with (proper) ham and different cheeses, but I think its made for rich meats, like perhaps duck.

Big Yum!