Anna Valentine's pickled magnolia flowers

Pickled Magnolia Flowers

Great as an alternative to pickled ginger for sushi or as a condiment for burgers, sandwiches, grissini or in a salad; pickled magnolia flowers are a spring time delight. You will need to sterilise a 300 ml jar in the oven at 150°C, leave it in the oven to keep warm while you make the recipe.

Gather:

4 c (lightly packed) magnolia petals

Bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch the petals for 30 seconds. Drain through a colander and cool quickly under a cold running tap. Gently squeeze out the excess water.

Add the following ingredients into a pot:

1 c apple cider vinegar

1/2 c unrefined cane sugar

1 tsp salt 

2cm piece fresh ginger, sliced thinly (optional) 

Bring to the boil then simmer until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Place the leaves into the warm jar and top with the hot pickling liquid and seal with the lid. Sealed this pickle will last for a long time, once opened store in the fridge.

Northland chef Anna Valentine has just finished whipping up a new cookbook entitled The Veggie Tree Spring & Summer Cookbook, which has tips on how to get more plants onto your plate. Read more here.

NOTE - Magnolia Flowers are unsafe to consume while you are pregnant