How To Pickle Vegetables

When it comes to pickles, Paul Virant is a bit of a savant. Long before amuses of pickled purple carrots arrived on tables and garnishes with pickled ramps began to be standard operating procedure at brunches across the city, Virant was picking his peak-of-season produce then pickling it for use during the long winters at his Western Springs restaurant, Vie. He’s always taken the method seriously, even relying on a Twitter handle (@jarstarvie) that highlights his passion. 

More recently, he took over the Perennial space at the nexus of Lincoln Park and Old Town (now called Perennial Virant), making the pickles the star – in the food as well as in the cocktails – and now that passion has led to the publication of his first cookbook, The Preservation Kitchen. We asked Virant to show us the basics, so he picked a perfect specimen for this time of year: asparagus.

If you want the amounts he’s using in the video, here you go (makes 4 quarts)

16 cups asparagus, trimmed

4 tsp. dill seed

8 dill sprigs

4 whole garlic cloves, halved

Brine:

6 ½ cups champagne vinegar

3 ½ cups water

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar