1128. - To Pickle French Beans

Gather them before they become stringy, and, without taking off the ends, put them into a very strong brine until they become yellow; drain the liquor from them, and wipe them dry with a cloth. Put them into a stone jar by the fire, put in a little bit of alum, and pour boiling vinegar upon them every twenty-four hours, preventing the escape of the steam. In four or five days they will become green. Boil a little mace, whole pepper, and ginger in the vinegar. Do samphire the same way.

1129. - Nasturtiums

So much resemble capers, both in flavor and the mode of pickling, as to be frequently used in the same manner; the seeds should be allowed to get ripe after the buds and flowers have gone off. Gather them upon a dry day, and keep them for a few days after they have been gathered; put them into a jar, and pour boiling vinegar well spiced upon them; when cold, cover the jar. They will not be fit for use for some months, but will be finely flavored after keeping, and are sometimes preferred to capers, for which they are an excellent substitute, being useful also in serving up all dishes in which pickles are warmed with the gravy. Young red capsicums and elder-flowers before they open may be done in the same way.

1130. - To Pickle Bed Cabbage

Take those of a deep red or purple color, strip off the outer leaves and cut out the stalk; quarter the cabbage lengthwise and cut it crosswise, but not in very thin slices; put it into a sieve and sprinkle it with salt and saltpetre; let it drain for twenty-four hours, then squeeze it until it is very dry; make a pickle with sufficient vinegar to cover the cabbages well, and made with equal quantities of cloves and allspice, with a little mace - to be put in whole, to which if a very small quantity of cochineal be added, it will greatly improve the color; boil the vinegar and spices together for full five minutes, and strain it; then, having put the cabbage into a stone jar, pour the vinegar over it boiling hot.

This is opposed to the practice of some persons, who object to boiling the vinegar, and pour it cold upon the cabbage.

1131. - Cabbage, White, Pickled

Slice your cabbage thin, then lay it in salt for twenty-four hours; strain it very dry, then put it in a stone jar with allspice, mace, and vinegar, and pour it on boiling hot, tie it very close, repeat the vinegar three times, and it will be fit for use.

1132. - Cabbage, Purple, To Pickle

Take two cauliflowers, two red cabbages, half a peck of kidney beans, stick with six cloves of garlic on each stick, wash all well; give them one boil up, then strain them in a sieve, lay them leaf by leaf upon a large table and salt them with coarse salt; then lay them to dry in the sun, or in a slow oven, until as dry as cork.

1133. - Celery, To Pickle

Separate the stalks from the head, clean them thoroughly, and put them into salt and water strong enough to bear an egg; let them remain in this for a week or ten days, or until wanted to pickle; then take them out, wash them well in clean water, drain dry, place in a jar, and pour boiling vinegar over, to which any approved spices may have been added. As is usual for pickling keep it well covered with vinegar; if the celery is allowed to remain a long time in salt and water, it will be necessary to soak it in clean water for a day or two, changing the water occasionally.