Martini Time: Pickled Brussels Sprouts

It's 5:00 somewhere!
I say that everyday at around 4 pm.

Though I love wine, cocktails before dinner are a must. Not every night obviously, just on the weekends when we are out.

There are so many great "mixologists" in Manhattan (do you have to go to med school to earn that title?).

Everyone is using in-house infused gins with homemade lavender gooseberry syrup and other exotic stuff.

The egg white foam thing floating on top of my drink does not appeal, however, recently we had gin martinis w/ pickled Brussels sprouts.

Yes, please.

You don't have to have these only in alcoholic beverages, you can eat them as a snack as part of an antipasto platter.
They are pickled vegetables. Good for any season.

You can really use any spices you like, and white or cider vinegar is fine.

Forget those blue cheese stuffed olives, try these in your next drink.

Pickled Brussels Sprouts:

2 lbs Brussels sprouts
2 cups cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup sea salt (non-iodized)
1 tbsp coriander or celery seeds
1 tbsp dried chili flakes
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp peppercorns
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

Blanch the sprouts whole for 3 minutes and place them in an ice bath to shock them to retain their color.

Boil the vinegar, sugar and rest of ingredients for a minute or two, until sugar is dissolved.

Place the cooled sprouts in jars and pour the vinegar solution over the vegetables, leaving 1/2" space at the top for sterlizing.

I don't sterilize my jars because we eat this within a month or two. Treat them like pickles, they will stay in the fridge as long as an open jar of pickles will.

Make sure you store unopened jars in the refrigerator.

Delicious!

Cheers!