Mustard Pickled Zucchini
Top shelves and out of the way spaces in my house are filled to bursting point with an accumulation of memorabilia and things I might need one day. Bitten by the spring clean bug I decided to cull.
Buried under a pile of junk I found a folder of reference notes from my early working days in food, notes and recipes from classes I taught at our community house, priced menus from my catering business and clippings of the articles I’d written regularly for a couple of small circulation publications.
In 1989 I’d themed a cooking class around “Christmas Gifts From the Kitchen,” covering confectionary, baked goods and pickled things. This recipe for pickled zucchini from that class hadn’t seen the light of day for probably 15 years, in fact it had faded from my memory, but it was a happy reacquaintance. I love pickled vegetables to add contrast to antipasti, salads and snacks when I’m entertaining, so within a couple of days I had bought the zucchinis and added pickled zucchini to my pre Christmas preparations.
Along with these zucchini, the class had made marinated olives, tarragon vinegar, chilli infused oil and giardinera. It’s hard to believe now but twenty five years ago, this was cutting edge stuff.
The added turmeric gives the pickled zucchini a golden glow and the mustard adds a delicious bite.
5 small zucchini
1 medium red pepper
2 tablespoons sea salt
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorn
1 teaspoon whole pimento, cracked
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Wash and trim the zucchinis and slice them into batons about 8 cm long and 1cm thick.
Sprinkle with the salt and allow to stand for 30 minutes to drain.
Wash the capsicum, cut into batons 8 cm long and 1cm wide. Set aside.
Lightly rinse the zucchini, drain well then pat dry with a clean tea towel.
Meanwhile combine the vinegar, sugar, seeds, peppercorns turmeric and mustard in a small pot.
Gently heat stirring continuously until the sugar is dissolved.
Mix the zucchini and capsicums together then pack tightly into a sterilized jar
Pour the pickling liquid over the vegetables until completely submerged.
Seal tightly and keep refrigerated.
Allow 1 week before eating.
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27 comments on “Mustard Pickled Zucchini”
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Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
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Ah, I remember now. This one is on my list of to do! Next on my pickling adventure. Tops.
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These remind me of a similar pickle from the Stephanie A. book that I sometimes make.I love the way you have incorporated some red capsicum and a pimento into the mix, as well as the longer cuts. This makes the jar look so much more colourful.
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Just looked at the Cook’s Companion. We were obviously inspired from the same source! It’s a seriously delicious pickle, but then you know that! I love that WordPress chooses some associated posts, brings them out of mothballs for a breath of fresh air
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Thank you for posting this recipe, I’m pinning it to use when the glut of zucchini happens next summer. I love pickles of all kinds and have been experimenting with both fruits and vegetables. I’m happy to have a road tested one for zucchini, and one with such a glorious color as well.
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I’m making another batch today Liz, I will make one jar with zucchini slices, another of zucchini baton. I’ll pop a note on the bottom of the post comparing the textural difference.
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That would be great, I’ll be interested to read it.
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Sandra, this recipe will most certainly come in handy later in summer when zucchini are everywhere. I will most certainly keep it in mind. I love a good pickle.
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I thought of all the gardeners who grow zucchini when I uncovered this one, i think you’ll enjoy its mustardy bite!
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I, too, love a good pickle and thank you for sharing this recipe, Thanks, too, for sharing it now and not a few months ago, when our farmers markets were up and running. Had you, I most certainly would have a dozen jars on my dining room table waiting for placement in the Christmas gift bags. As it is, my table is completely covered and a corner filled. The bags are going to need some serious re-enforcement if they’re going to make it wherever they’re going. I’ll pin this for next year. I think I’ll switch to boxes then, too. 🙂
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There is nothing better than delicious home made gifts. I haven’t had time this year, barely had time to contemplate that it’s December. I’m sure your friends and family will be thrilled with your gift bags. The zucchini pickle is a beauty. Super easy to make, crunchy and mustardy, perfect with sharp cheese and charcuterie. Better to make them when the zucchini are cheap too.
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These look so bright and festive in the jar Sandra – such a great idea for the Christmas gift basket… and perfect timing with more zucchinis than I know what to do with in the garden right now! Cheers!
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Zucchinis, you have to love how bountiful they are! This pickle could be thrown together while you’re preparing dinner Margot, it’s so simple. Enjoy…
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Had never seen zucchini pickles either tho’ I eat the vegetable non-stop 🙂 !! So easy to make this will probably be the first task I’ll undertake after talking a month’s holidays just down the track 🙂 ! Look oh so good!!!!
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I think you’ll love this pickle Eha, have a great holiday…
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I had never seen zucchini pickles. With mustard seeds, how wonderful it must taste. Currently, I am looking for a perfect ‘cucumber in brine’ recipe, the kind you find in Israeli and Persian stores.
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Good luck with the cucumber recipe, hope you succeed. We love these zucchinis, the jar has all but been consumed
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I’m really getting into pickled things right now. I love the process of seeing the pickles grow in flavor as time goes on… so far I’ve done carrots, olives and cabbage. I need to try your recipe, the mustard zucchini looks incredible! Thanks for sharing your method! xx
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I’m in a pickle frenzy…..enjoy the zuccs
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This looks super, love zuchinni and pickled? Even more! A great addition to Chrissy meats. Now you have cleaned out your cupboards, want to come over and do mine? I’ll provide the wine!
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No sorry, until yesterday, December had been all about clearing out. Compacting two households into one is not a job one willingly undertakes in the lead up to Christmas. I ended switching to chuck out mode. While it was cathartic, I’ll probably regret some choices.
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I love your pickle recipes! I make pickled zucchini using an Italian recipe, but the addition here of mustard sounds wonderful – reminiscent of Moustarde (di Frutta) which I adore.
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Yes the flavour is similar Deb, except there is only a hint of sweetness. This batch of zuccs has disappeared very quickly. We’ve been making Ploughman’s lunches
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Still cutting edge stuff to me, Sandra. Keep it up, please.
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Thanks Mary, a girls gotta eat!
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