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Quick-Pickled Fruits

Quick-Pickled Fruits

By Courtney HillFebruary 10, 2020

  • Makes
    1 Quart
  • Cook Time
    2 days
  • Active time plus cooling
    20 minutes active

A visit with Noa Berman-Herzberg, Israeli screenwriter and self-described “serial pickler,” inspired us to pickle some fruits of our own. We based our recipe on hers, slightly simplifying the ingredients and technique. The result is tangy, flavorful pickles with the subtle taste of citrus and spice, but with plenty of their own character and texture. Even off-season, less-than-stellar fruits work well here. Pickled fruits can be used in salads (use the brine to make the vinaigrette) or as a bright, punchy garnish for dishes like spicy curry or grilled pork chops. They also are an excellent addition to a cheese or charcuterie board. Since these pickles don’t necessarily skew savory, they even can be used in sweet applications. Try them as an ice cream topping, pair them with whipped cream to make a fool, or use the brine to flavor a cocktail or other drink. Once refrigerated, the pickles keep for up to a month, as long as the fruits are submerged in the brine.

Tip

Don’t forget to remove the zest strips from the limes and lemons before juicing the fruits. A sharp Y-style vegetable peeler is the best tool for this. Also, don’t pour the brine onto the fruit until it has cooled to room temperature. If the brine is hot or even warm, it will cause the fruit to soften.

Ingredients
  • For the Pickle Brine
  • 1½

    cups unseasoned rice vinegar

  • ¾

    cup white sugar

  • 1

    tablespoon kosher salt

  • 6

    wide strips lime zest, plus 1½ tablespoons lime juice

  • 4

    wide strips lemon zest, plus ¼ cup lemon juice

  • 3

    white or green cardamom pods

  • 1

    pound fruit of your choice (see below)

  • For the Fruit

  • Apples, unpeeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch wedges

  • Grapes, seedless, stemmed and kept whole

  • Melon, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks

  • Pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks

  • Plums, pitted and cut into ½-inch wedges

  • Strawberries, hulled and kept whole

Step 1

In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice and cardamom. Bring to a boil over high, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Step 2

Meanwhile, place the fruit in a nonreactive 2-quart container with a tight-fitting lid. Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the fruit and press down on the pieces to submerge. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 48 hours, then refrigerate.

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