On a recent walk I was lucky enough to find a beautiful, blooming magnolia tree overarching the fence and into the road. The petals were adorning the surrounding grass and it was a great chance to take some petals to make something I have been itching to do for a long time- magnolia pickles.
Magnolia is really easy to identify so I am not going to write a separate post about it. Something that you should be aware of though is that not all magnolia flowers smell/taste like ginger so before you start gathering make sure to rub the petals in your hand and give them a sniff.
Once you are sure you have the right flowers, gather a quantity adequate for a jar, approximately two handfulls.
What you will need-
- Jar with plastic lid (metal oxidises the petals and might rust because of the vinegar)
- White wine vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Ceramic/plastic knife or your hands if you don’t have a non-metal knife
Step 1: Cut the petals into any shape you want, my favorite is just long, parallel strips and pack tightly into the jar
Step 2: Mix the vinegar and sugar in a ratio you like (highly personal as some people prefer sweet and others acidic pickles).
Step 3: Add a pinch of salt and top the jar with the liquid
Step 4: Let sit in room temperature for as long as you want. You can then eat the petals as you would pickled ginger and use the juice in salads.
Enjoy ❤
(Fer)mental Greens 