Author Notes
Having just returned from Morocco, I am in love with all edibles from North Africa. I fell in love with the simple mixed olives tossed with preserved lemons and a myriad of seasonal vegetables from the market. The various olives and colorful vegetables in these pickles make for a beautiful presentation. Be sure to start several days ahead of serving as they need time to marinate. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for about a month. —epicureanodyssey
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Ingredients
- FOR THE PICKLES
-
2
small Lebanese or pickling cucumbers, peel left on, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
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3
medium carrots, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
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2
medium turnips, peeled, halved, cut into thin wedges, optional
-
6
medium garlic cloves, peeled, lightly crushed with the flat side of a knife
-
1
medium sweet onion, such as Texas 1015 or Vidalia, peeled, halved lengthwise, medium julienne
-
1/2 each
large red and yellow bell pepper, seeded, medium julienne
-
1/2
head green cabbage, cut in half, cored, cut crosswise into about 1/2-inch thick pieces
-
6 ounces
mixed olives, black, green, violet in color
-
2
lemons, preferably Meyer, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
-
4
thyme sprigs
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1 teaspoon
dried Mediterranean oregano
-
2
bay leaves
-
1 tablespoon
caraway seeds, lightly crushed with a mortar & pestle
-
1 tablespoon
coriander seeds, lightly crushed witha mortar and pestle
-
small pinch saffron
-
2 tablespoons
harissa, see recipe below
-
1 1/4 cups
white vinegar
-
1 1/4 cups
apple cider vinegar
-
2 cups
extra virgin olive oil
-
2 tablespoons
sugar
-
1 tablespoon
kosher salt
-
1
slice feta cheese, to serve, optional
- FOR THE HARISSA
-
1 1/2 cups
Asian chile-garlic sauce
-
1
large garlic clove, roughly chopped
-
1 tablespoon
ground coriander
-
1 tablespoon
caraway seeds
-
1 tablespoon
dried mint, preferably spearmint
-
1
small bunch cilantro, washed to remove any grit and dried
-
1 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
Directions
-
PICKLES:
In a 1-gallon jar, add the first 16 ingredients (or through the harissa) in the order listed.
-
Gently heat the olive oil, vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar disolves. Pour over the vegetable mixture. Cover and shake the jar to distribute the spices evenly.
-
Let sit at room temperature for 3 days. Put in the refrigerator to store.
-
To serve, put in a decorative serving bowl and top with a thin slab of feta cheese, if using.
-
HARISSA:
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add all the ingredients and process to a paste.
-
Transefer to a glass jar and cover with a thin film of extra virgin-olive oil.
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Harissa may be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 months. Cover with a light film of extra-virgin olive oil after each use.
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