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Pickled Baby Squash

5.0

(1)

The piquancy of little sweet-and-sour squash helps balance the lavishness of the creamed corn and okra stew. The surprise ingredient here is maple syrup: It adds a more rounded flavor to the pickles than sugar. A mixture of tiny green, yellow, and pattypan squash makes a visual impact, but slices of regular zucchini would be delicious, too.

Cooks' notes:

•If you can’t find baby squash, you can substitute small, tender zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch rounds.
•Pickled squash keeps, chilled, 2 weeks.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    3 days (includes time for flavors to develop)

  • Yield

    Makes about 6 cups

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds baby summer squash
1 medium onion, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (preferably dark amber)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8 whole allspice, slightly crushed
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Blanch squash and onion in a medium pot of well-salted boiling water 2 minutes. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking. Let stand until cool, then drain and transfer vegetables to a large glass or ceramic bowl.

    Step 2

    Bring remaining ingredients with 4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a nonreactive medium saucepan, then pour over vegetables. Put a plate with a 3-pound weight (such as 2 large cans) on top to keep vegetables submerged.

    Step 3

    Cool, then chill (with weight) at least 3 days for flavors to develop.

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