Too Much of a Good Thing - Never!

When life gives you carrots - pickle them! This collection of carrots is from Maysie's and Blueberry Hill Farm - they were so beautiful - I just had to have them

And what better to do with a healthy abundance of carrots - pickle them - with my favorite pickled carrot recipe from David Lebowitz - with a twist of my own. Here's the recipe - thanks David!

Ginger Pickled Carrots

2 pounds carrots, peeled
1 1/2 cups water
2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
 4 garlic cloves, lightly-crushed
1/4 cup thinly sliced candied ginger

1 Tablespoon fennel, dill, or anise seeds 

3 Tablespoons coarse salt

4 bay leaves, preferable fresh

1. Cut the carrots into stick approximately the size of your fourth finger. Using a steaming basket in a large, non-reactive Dutch oven, steam carrots for 1 minute. Remove from heat and run under cold water to cool.

2.In the same pot, heat the remaining ingredients. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for two minutes.

3. Remove from heat and add the carrot sticks. Cool until room temperature, then put into jars and chill.

Carrot sticks should be made at least one day in advance, and will keep for up to four weeks in the refrigerator.

Here are my carrots all ready for a steam bath.

 These are the seasoning elements - fennel seed, garlic, candied ginger and fresh bay leaves.

 Once the carrots and seasoning broth have cooled to room temperature, they can be packed into canning jars - I like to keep a bay leaf visible on the outside of the jar.

 From 2 pounds of carrots I made 5 jars of ginger pickled carrots - the carrots will keep for 4 weeks in the refrigerator. They are perfect for summer picnics and great as a hostess gift!