Single hen

[Mrs Blue Sky]

Here's one from the mighty Gladys Mann's "Home Preserving and Bottling"

 

Pickled Cabbage

 

3lb red cabbage

3-4 tablespoons co"Ooops, word censored!" salt

1-1 1/2 cold spiced vinegar

 

Remove outer leaves and stalk from cabbage, then wash and quarter it. Take out the hard centre stalk and shred the cabbage finely across the leaves. Spread cabbage on a shallow dish, sprinkling salt among the shreds. Put a final good layer of salt over the top, and leave overnight. Drain off liquid salt from cabbage by leaving it in a colander. Pack, not too tightly, into glass jars, cover with the vinegar. Allow time for the vinegar to seep through the cabbage, then top up until it reaches at least 1/2 inch above cabbage. It is best to leave jars overnight before the final topping up with vinegar. Tie down; keep at least 14 days before using. Waxed paper or plastic tops secured with rubber bands can be used - screwbands are not recommended as it is important that vinegar should not come into contact with metal.

 

Spiced vinegar

 

1 oz peppercorns

1/4 oz blade of mace

1/4 oz cloves

6 bay leaves

1/2 oz bruised ginger root

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

1/4 oz whole allspice

1/4 oz stick of cinnamon

4 chillies, crushed

1 tablespoon salt

2 pints malt vinegar

 

Boil the spices and salt in a little of the vinegar for 1 - 2 minutes to extract their flavour, then add remaining vinegar, boil for a further 3 minutes, strain and cool.

 

Ready mixed pickling spice can be used, when 2 oz to 2 pints will be required. It is doubtful if cinnamon and bay leaves will be included, so these will have to be added.

 

The spiced vinegar is used cold for crisp pickles, but if a soft pickle - for pickled onions, clear mixed pickles, pickled cucumbers - is preferred, then the vinegar should be used hot.

 

Vinegar evaporates considerably when boiled, therefore it is a saving to boil the bulk of the vinegar no longer than 3 minutes.

 

Good old Gladys! You would think that these days you could buy ready-spiced vinegar, but maybe not... probably more fun to play with all the lovely spices and do your own.

 

I haven't tried pickling cabbage, but all the other recipes from this book that I've tried have worked well, so I wish you happy pickling Kate!