My go-to blog when struck by a sudden urge to make anything in jars is Eating From the Ground Up by Alana Chernila, who is also the author of The Homemade Pantry (Clarkson Potter, April 2012). I was led to a recipe based on Karen Solomon’s Pickled Daikon with Lemon from her book Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It. The zingy, refreshing pickled radish was super-quick and easy to make–the toughest part is making sure you thoroughly rinse the daikon after brining it in salt. Enjoy with a meal of tofu or chicken, in a sandwich, or out of the jar–like I did. Thanks Karen and Alana!

quick pickled daikon with lemon

from Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It by Karen Solomon (Ten Speed Press, 2009)

Makes 2 cups

Time Commitment: About 2 hours

Prep Ahead You’ll need a clean pint jar with a lid. Make sure it is free of rust and odors and the lid seals tightly. Prepare a label that lists the contents and date prepared.

11/2 pounds daikon, peeled and very thinly sliced

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

3 (2-inch) pieces lemon zest

Instructions

Put the daikon in a large colander set over a bowl or in the sink. Toss it with the salt; your hands are the best tools for this job. Let rest for 15 minutes to express some of the excess moisture.

Meanwhile, whisk the sesame oil, honey, vinegar, lemon juice, and garlic in a large bowl.

Rinse the daikon well under running water, then spread it out to dry on a clean kitchen towel, rolling it up gently so as to extract as much moisture as possible. Add the daikon to the brine along with the zest and coat well, letting it marinate for 1 hour.

How to Store It Eat immediately, or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 month.