"Tartine All Day" (Lorena Jones Books, 2017) is a book made for the home cook. Penned by a professional chef, Elisabeth Prueitt, her latest book is chock-full of recipes that are easy to cook, even if you are not a serious home cook. She has lots of quick side dishes such as preserved lemons, five-day sauerkraut and the following quick vegetable pickles.

I've never been big on pickling. I grew up with a grandfather who made the most delicious dill pickles but wouldn't give out his recipe. Maybe that's why I stayed away from this simple and satisfying condiment so long. When I saw this recipe, I just had to try it since it fit right into the Seriously Simple style. Just five minutes to cook the pickling liquid, and some sliced veggies turn into a delectable sidekick for many dishes.

This recipe was developed by the Tartine bakery to serve alongside their hot-pressed sandwiches. The pickled vegetables remain pleasantly crisp because they are only slightly cooked by the hot pickling liquid. They add a lovely spike of color and flavor to cured meats and grilled or roasted meats or poultry. They are also good on sandwiches or chopped for salads.

I sliced the vegetables with my mandoline, but you can use a sharp knife to do the job. I took some license with the recipe, too, and substituted 1 teaspoon of jarred pickling spice for the dry spices listed in the original recipe. I also added a teaspoon of sugar and thought they turned out just right. If you like them spicy, add some red pepper flakes. You can vary the spices, depending upon your preferences. Best of all, you can eat them once they are cooled or let them ferment in your fridge for up to three weeks.

Quick Vegetable Pickles

Makes 2 cups/280g

1 cup/240mL white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar

1 cup/240mL water

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon pickling spice (see note)

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