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Asian Pickles

Asian Pickles

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Pickled Napa Cabbage, Daikon, and Carrots

Yield: 4 Servings
Chichi Wang / Serious Eats

In this recipe from Susanna Foo, napa cabbage, carrots, and daikon are immersed in a brining solution of vinegar, sugar, and salt. Jalapeno peppers are added for just a touch of spiciness. Though the vegetables must be soaked in the brine for at least a day, the mixture will hold for two weeks. Crunchy and juicy, the julienned vegetables are pleasantly sweet and sour.

  • 3cups water
  • 1cup white vinegar, or 1 ½ cups rice vinegar
  • ¾cup sugar
  • 2TBS coarse or kosher salt
  • 1napa cabbage
  • 1daikon
  • 1small carrot
  • 2jalapeño peppers


Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.

Cut off the leafy upper half of the cabbage and reserve for another use. You will only need the bottom ends with the thicker ribs. Cut each ribbed leaf in half lengthwise. Cut again into 1/8 inch strips.

Cut the daikon crosswise into thin, round slices, then cut each slice into a fine julienne. Soak in ice water for 5 minutes; drain.

Cut the carrot into a fine julienne.

Remove the stems from the jalapeno peppers and slice crosswise into thin slices.

Place all of the vegetables into a large bowl and pour the vinegar mixture all over, mixing well. The brine should immerse most of the vegetables; if not, add a bit of water to cover.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and weight it down with a pot of water or a heavy can. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or preferably for a day before using. Immersed in the brine, the relish will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. This recipe can also be halved or quartered.

Quick Pickled Daikon and Carrot

Yield: 4 Servings

This recipe, from Hiroko Shimbo’s excellent book The Japanese Kitchen, is my favorite pickling recipe of all time. Shimbo’s technique is a hybrid process, involving an initial salting followed by a soak in a brining liquid of mirin and rice vinegar. The mirin imbues the vegetables with a winey sweetness that surpasses the abilities of plain sugar. During the summer, I try to have a bag of Shimbo’s pickled daikon and carrots on hand, for any overheating emergencies involving baked goods and tripe.

  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • 4inches of daikon (3 inches in diameter), peeled and quartered lengthwise
  • 1medium carrot, halved lengthwise
  • 1tsp salt
  • ¼cup mirin
  • ¼cup rice vinegar
  • 2TBS sugar


In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the salt. Cover the vegetables with plastic wrap and weight it down with a pot of water or a heavy can. Let stand for five to six hours at room temperature.

Remove the vegetables from the bowl and place them into a sealable plastic bag, along with the mirin, sugar, and rice vinegar. Leave the vegetables in the bag at room temperature for three to four hours, shaking the bag every so often to distribute the liquid evenly.

Refrigerate the vegetables in the plastic bag overnight, or for up to 3 days.

To serve, cut the vegetable strips into 1/4-inch slices. Serve plain or drizzled with a bit of soy sauce.

Quick & Spicy Asian Pickles

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Jennifer Rubell / Epicurious
  • ¼cup rice vinegar
  • 4tsp sugar
  • 1tsp soy sauce
  • 1tsp fish sauce
  • ½tsp dried crushed red pepper
  • 2small English hothouse cucumbers


Whisk rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and crushed red pepper in large bowl.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and Chill.

Slice cucumbers crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Add cucumber slices to vinegar mixture; toss. Cover and chill ten minutes to 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Vietnamese Quick-Pickled Vegetables

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Delspina / Epicurious

This easy quick-pickle is crunchy, sweet and salty. It’s the perfect accompaniment to Asian meat dishes or a colorful addition to salads and sandwiches. If you’re feeling creative, use the pickling mixture with other vegetables like asparagus, green beans or cauliflower.

  • ½cup rice vinegar
  • ¼cup sugar
  • 1tsp salt
  • 2carrots, thinly sliced
  • 2Thai bird or serrano chiles, stemmed and quartered lengthwise
  • 1(½-inch) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1large daikon, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ½English seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
  • ½red onion, thinly sliced


Put vinegar, sugar and salt into a large bowl and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add carrots, chilies, ginger, daikon, cucumbers and onions and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to several hours before serving.

English Muffin Loaf

English Muffin Loaf

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Yield: 8 Servings
Jonathan Wood’s friend Gail

Summer 1994:  In between technical stuff, Woody and I talk about food.  He mentioned this great English Muffin Bread and gave me a copy of the recipe and about a pound of semolina out of a big sack that he bought.  I don’t remember the ratio to all-purpose, but it tasted great.

  • 5cups flour
  • 2packages of dry yeast
  • 1TBS sugar
  • 2tsp salt
  • ¼tsp soda
  • 2cups milk
  • ½cup water cornmeal

In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and soda.

Heat milk and water to 100° –115° F. Add to dry ingredients and beat well.

Stir in remaining two cups of flour to make a stiff, sticky batter.

Spoon into two 8½” x 4½” loaf pans that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.

Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with cornmeal.

Cover with a slightly damp cloth and let rise in a warm draft free place for 40 – 45 minutes.

Bake at 400° F for 25 minutes. Makes good toast.

Colonel Scottie’s Chicken

Colonel Scottie’s Chicken

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With Joe’s Florida Stone Crab Mustard Sauce

Yield: 12 – 16 pieces

Scott Nowell

This idea came from a trade show visit to Atlanta. I got an invite to a reception in AT&T’s suite in the hotel. One of the items served was breaded chicken strips with a honey-mustard sauce. This is my version with a mustard sauce pulled from a Frugal Gourmet (Jeff Smith) cookbook.

  • 1½lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1cup milk
  • 1egg
  • 1cup unseasoned bread crumbs
  • -or-
  • 1cup flour
  • 1/8tsp salt
  • ¼tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1/8tsp paprika
  • 2TBS butter
  • 4TBS cooking oil


Trim chicken breasts to remove fat. Slice crosswise into strips about a ¼ to 3/8 inch thick.

Put breadcrumbs or flour in a large flat bowl or plate, and mix in spices.

Beat egg into milk and season.

Dredge chicken strips in flour, dip chicken strips in milk and then roll in breading to coat evenly. (Shake a bunch in a plastic bag filled with breading.

Heat the butter and 2 TBS of the oil in a large skillet over high heat until the butter stops foaming and the oil is quite hot but not smoking. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer without crowding and cook until browned. Turn the chicken over and brown the other side. Remove to paper towels to absorb oil, then transfer to a serving dish. Cook remaining chicken. Add additional oil as necessary between batches and let oil get hot before adding chicken.

Joe’s Florida Stone Crab Mustard Sauce

  • 3½tsp dry English mustard (Coleman’s)
  • 1cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
  • 2tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1tsp A1 Sauce
  • 1/8cup light cream or half and half
  • 1/8tsp salt


Beat the dry mustard and mayonnaise together for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency. Chill.

Ham & Cheese Rollups

Ham & Cheese Rollups

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Yield: 3 rolls using simple bread dough
Scott Nowell

This is my version of my mother Connie’s recipe. She used to call this “calzone” but I never knew why. It is more like “stromboli”, but it may have been my confusion. Regardless, it quickly turned into a family favorite for New Year’s day and Super Bowl Sunday.

  • 2loaves frozen bread dough or 1 simple bread dough (recipe follows)
  • 1½lb deli baked Ham such as Black Forest.
  • 1½lb deli Swiss cheese sliced thin.
  • 1egg yoke beaten with
  • 1TBS milk
  • cooking spray
  • pastry brush
  • Special Equipment: 2 sheet pans & Silpat sheets


Thaw dough per package directions but on sheet pan using either Overnight or quick method. -or- Make simple bread dough (below).

Preheat oven to 400°F or to package recommendation.

Either use a Silpat on each sheet pan or spray with cooking spray or wipe lightly with oil.

Flour counter. Dough will have risen during thawing, so press down on dough to flatten and release air. Roll out dough to a rectangle approximately 12 x 17 inches.

Lay ham slices on dough side by side from end to end. Add Swiss on top but offset towards bottom, see diagram below.

Brush egg wash on one long edge.

Roll the long edge from the ham side towards the cheese side. Press the egg washed edge to seal. Place on baking sheet with the seam down. Curve to fit if too long. Brush all over with egg wash.

Bake for 25-35 minutes until nicely brown and bread is cooked.

Cool, slice ¼ to ½ inch thick.

Simple Bread Dough

Yield: 3 1-lb loaves
  • 1packet active dry yeast or 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
  • ½TBS sugar
  • 1TBS salt
  • 2cups lukewarm water (not over 110°F)
  • 5½-6cups unbleached all-purpose or bread flour


Mix all of the ingredients together in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, using the smaller amount of flour. Mix thoroughly until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding more of the flour if necessary.

To knead: Knead at medium speed in the stand mixer with a dough hook for about 7 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl and coat the inside of the bowl with a little oil. Return the dough to the bowl and turn it over once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place (your turned-off oven works well) until the dough doubles in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough. Cut it in thirds and shape into loaves. Cover with cling film and refrigerate over night.