Fresh Zucchini Pickle, Asian Style

Do you have zucchinis (courgettes) growing in your garden now? Have you reached the panic stage yet about what to do with them all? Most home gardeners I know have a love-hate relationship with this vegetable. They love it because it’s both delicious and productive. And they hate it because, well, it’s so excessively productive that it’s difficult to keep pace with it. One zucchini plant can feed a large family and then some. Two plants might well feed a small army for all I know. For this reason, my gardener friends are always on the lookout for new recipe ideas to use this most exuberant of garden vegetables.

This recipe for raw zucchini pickle provides one answer that I hope will appeal. It is my zucchini riff on achara, a delicious staple pickle of the Philippines that I grew to love while living there for many years. Filipino achara is a slaw-like raw green papaya pickle flavored with fresh ginger, garlic, onions, carrots, and sweet peppers and is a ubiquitous feature of meals in that country. Here I have substituted, with tasty results, zucchinis for the green papayas included this classic, refreshing Filipino dish.

Ingredients

10 medium-sized zucchinis (courgettes), stems and blossom ends removed
2 teaspoons pickling or kosher salt
1 small red or white onion, peeled and cut into very thin slices
1 small red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and cut into fine juliennes
1/2 carrot, peeled and cut into fine juliennes
A 2-inch by 2-inch knob (or more) of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very fine juliennes
3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into very fine juliennes
3 cups white, distilled vinegar
1 1/4 – 1 3/4 cups white sugar

Preparation

1. Sterilize mason jars totaling 2 quarts in volume and their lids.



2. Peel the zucchinis in a slightly sloppy way so that small bits of peel remain here and there. Cut all zucchinis into large juliennes (using a mandoline or sharp knife) and place them in a colander. Sprinkle them with the salt, mix well, and allow them to drain for one hour over the sink.
3. Place the julienned zucchinis on a clean tea towel, wrap the towel around them, and very firmly wring out the towel over the sink to express as much remaining liquid from the zucchinis as your muscle power allows (important!).
4. Transfer the zucchinis to a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced onions and julienned bell peppers, carrots, ginger, and garlic. Toss until these ingredients are well blended and pack the mixture into the prepared mason jars.
5. In a saucepan, bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil, stir, and cook for one minute. Let this solution cool for 5 minutes and pour it into the prepared jars. Allow the pickles to cool to room temperature, seal the jars, and then refrigerate for up to one month. Makes 2 quarts of pickles.

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