Pickled Garlic

I worked this out from trying to imitate jars of Iranian Pickled Garlic which were briefly available in Leeds - adapting pickled onion recipes.   I do not use any salt - by coincidence, using a salt or brine mixture (as I would with onions) turned the garlic an inedible, bilious green colour.   I have since discovered that contamination from a metal lid on the jar is a more likely cause - but avoiding salt gives a delicious pickle so why add it?

• Ingredients:-
  - Enough cloves of garlic to fill the pickling jar - separated, but not peeled;
  - Enough vinegar to cover the garlic (I've used a variety of vinegars, but I like a white wine vinegar best);
  - About 2 ozs sugar to each 1 lb of garlic (try more or less to taste).
• Put the vinegar and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and bring to the boil over high heat for about 10 minutes.
• Add unpeeled but separated garlic cloves, and carry on cooking for only a minute or two.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool a bit - put garlic in a sterilised and warmed glass pickle jar, pour over enough vinegar to cover, and tightly seal.   Keep for at least a month (if you can).

How long does it keep? Haven't a clue, as it never lasts that long - my kids eat them like sweets!

I've also added on occasion black peppercorns, chile pepper, coriander and mustard seeds, bay leaves, or sprigs of fresh thyme, tarragon, or rosemary.   But I do prefer the simple, straight pickle.

Garlic Pickles

From a basic recipe for Lemon Relish

• Ingredients
  - 2 large lemons (Pare off the thin yellow rind, and keep; cut off and discard the white pith)
  - 1 pepper (green or red - with the core and seeds removed)
  - 6-8 large spring onions
  - 1 stick of celery
  - 1 fresh red chilli
  - parsley
  - half teaspoon dry mustard
  - half teaspoon ground cardamom
  - 1 teaspoon salt
  - 2 tablespoons sugar
  - 120 ml vinegar (cider vinegar? white wine vinegar? - your call!)
• Chop lemon rind, flesh, pepper, onions, celery, chilli and parsley (if you're using a food processor, don't overdo it).
• Pop everything into a pan, bring to the boil, and simmer for 15 minutes or so.
• Pour into sterilised jars and seal.

That was the recipe I found in a book somewhere - not much b....y use when you've got a glut of garlic!   So ---

Garlic Relish

• Replace the lemons with either the equivalent in peeled cloves of garlic, OR half a lemon plus the equivalent of one and a half lemons in peeled cloves of garlic.
• As for the rest - just the same!   Quick, simple and good - and nicer than the original, I think.