Simple Lebanese Pickles and Preserves
I know that everyone seems to be all about the sterilized canning, and I’ve done a good bit of that in the past. But seems I can’t get enough of the Lebanese recipes for quick pickles and preserves that hold in the refrigerator. The pickles last several weeks, especially the turnips. The preserves, I’ve found, have lasted up to a year in the refrigerator, especially if they’re unopened. I just pulled out a jar of quick raspberry preserves I made with last summer’s U-Pick razzles, and they were pristine, perfect, as though I’d done the full-on canning job—but I didn’t. Here are my favorite pickles, along with the all-time very best jam ever known to humankind, the Lebanese favorite: apricot preserves.
And don’t forget the jars! Weck makes it all extra-special.
Turnip Pickles
A beet in the mix makes these turnips, or lifft, their trademark shade of pink. Spice them up with banana peppers and garlic.
Quick Pickles
Mix up your veggies all in one jar, or do them all separate; either way, these quick pickles are crunchy, bright, and flavorful.
Apricot Preserves
Make this now…there will be no going back.
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I'm so glad you're here! You'll find among these pages the fresh and classic Lebanese recipes we can't get enough of! My mission is to share my tried + true recipes -- and to help our Lebanese food-loving community keep these culinary traditions alive and on the table. What recipes are you looking for? Let me know!
You canned jars are beautiful, too!!!!
🙂
You just amaze me with your talent!!!
xoxo’s…
🙂
Maureen, Beautiful as always, making me hungry.
Gorgeous, gorgeous pictures. Looks too good to eat!!!
I concur with all of the above, can’t say it better!!
What beautiful, and I’m sure delicious, eye-full of pickles and preserves, Maureen!
I’ve shared your recipes with my daughter in law who has a Chinese heritage. She LOVES
pickles and appreciated the percentage of acid in your mix.
So, when I made these pickled turnips recently, I snuck a lot of garlic into the batch, which I’d put on the table to go with dinner. And everyone couldn’t stop themselves from reaching into the glass jar for more, even though we were still on pre-dinner nibbles. Yet in spite of my protests that the tang might contrast a bit sharply with the Champagne we were swilling, my objections were waved away, and the pickles continued to disappear quickly.
I’ve often made my own pickles but I’ve never made any like these. They look so pretty!!
Oh my gosh! Just discovered wonderful blog through Hollye Jacobs’ Silver Linings blog, which I discovered through Frances Schultz’ blog! Delicious, beautiful, inspiring. I found the Lebanese Tomato Salad recipe, will be making that next weekend and I love the line “Combine and taste. Is your life changed yet? If not, adjust seasonings and try again.” Putting it up on my quotes board. We all need to adjust our seasonings now and then!
Thank you so very much–that means a lot! And thank you for reminding me of that line too…so very true.
Hi there! I’ve been using your pickled turnips recipe for years. But I tried pulling it up today to make it again and the page isn’t working. Will this be resolved or is it off permanently?
Hi Neha! Oh yes it’s still here, not sure why it wasn’t coming up but here it is: https://www.maureenabood.com/pickled-turnips-and-an-introduction-to-aunt-hilda/