These pickles are perfect on a cheese plate, paired with rustic pâté or simple grilled chicken, tucked into a ham sandwich…or just eaten out of the jar. They are best stored in the fridge, where they’ll keep for a week. Don’t bother canning them, as the hot water processing turns them mushy.
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3 1⁄2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt 10 black peppercorns
4 star anise
1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seed 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1 bunch red rhubarb, cut into
4- or 5-inch batons
Place cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, star anise, chili
flakes, cinnamon, mustard seed and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to boil, turn off heat and taste. You can add more sugar or salt to taste.
Pack the rhubarb into jars and pour the hot liquid over. Cover, let cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator. Pickles are ready to eat after they’ve been refrigerated for a few hours.
