Discover the surprising delight of pickled pumpkin

Pumpkin is a vegetable primarily associated with autumn and Halloween decorations, but it offers much more. You can bake it, cook it, and even... pickle it. Pickling pumpkin has surprised many people, but once you try it, you won't be able to stop. It's an ideal addition to meat dishes, salads, and sandwiches. Pickling pumpkin is just as easy as pickling cucumbers – you only need a few ingredients and a bit of patience.

Pickling pumpkin is a great way to use this seasonal vegetable and add a bit of originality to your kitchen. How do you prepare a pickled pumpkin that will impress everyone?

Ingredients:                                      

• 1 kilogram of pumpkin (preferably Hokkaido or butternut)
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 sprig of dill
• 1 bay leaf
• 20 grams of horseradish root
• 1 litre of water
• 6 allspice berries
• 20 grams of salt
• 6 grams of mustard seeds
• cherry or currant leaves (optional)

Preparation:                      

1. Wash the pumpkin, peel off the skin (if using Hokkaido pumpkin, you can leave the skin on), and cut it into smaller pieces – they can be sticks, cubes, or half-moons.
2. Thoroughly wash and sterilize the jars. Place a few slices of horseradish, a garlic clove, a piece of dill, a bay leaf, a few allspice berries, and mustard seeds at the bottom of each jar.
3. Tightly pack the pumpkin pieces in the jars, leaving about 2.5 centimetres of free space at the top.
4. Dissolve the salt in the boiled, cooled water. Pour the brine over the pumpkin, leaving about 1 centimetre of free space from the top edge of the jar.
5. Seal the jars tightly and leave them in a warm place for 3-5 days to start the fermentation process. You can use special fermentation lids or rubber bands with holes to release gases.
6. After this time, transfer the jars to a cooler place, such as a basement or refrigerator, for further pickling. The pickled pumpkin is ready to eat after about 2-3 weeks, but the longer it sits, the more intense its flavour.

Pickled pumpkin is an original idea for an appetizer and an excellent way to preserve this vegetable's flavour and nutritional value. The fermentation process gives the pumpkin a unique flavour – slightly sour, with a delicate aroma of spices. The pickled pumpkin is crunchy and flavoured with additions like garlic, dill, or horseradish. Moreover, it is rich in probiotics, which support the digestive system and strengthen the body's immunity.

Additional tips:          

• Hokkaido or butternut squash is best for pickling as it has a firm texture and is naturally sweeter. Hokkaido pumpkin has the advantage of edible skin, which adds an interesting texture to the pickles.
• You can add spices for pickling, such as bay leaves, juniper, cherry, or currant leaves, which will add crunch to the pumpkin.
• Pickled pumpkin is a great addition to sandwiches, salads, soups, and stewed meats.

Pickling – traditional preservation method

Pickling is one of the oldest methods of preserving food, used for centuries. Thanks to lactic acid fermentation, pickled products are not only tasty but also healthy because they aid digestion and strengthen the immune system. Pickled pumpkin is an excellent way to diversify your diet and introduce more probiotics.