Hugh’s Quick-pickled celery, chard and carrots

Makes a 500ml jar

400g mixed, prepared celery, chard stalks and carrot 1 tbsp fine salt 250ml cider vinegar (5% acidity) 2 tbsp sugar 1 bay leaf A couple of sprigs of thyme or rosemary

O 1 tsp coriander seeds

O A few black peppercorns

This is a tasty way to use up the more fibrous stems from celery and chard. The carrot adds sweetness and colour – but you can use just one or two of these veg, as long as it makes up 400g raw weight.

Trim off any green leaves and dirty or damaged bits from the celery and chard stems, then cut into roughly 1cm pieces. Peel and trim the carrots, then cut into thin half-moons or quarter-moons, depending on the girth of the carrot. Check that you have 400g prepared weight of raw veg.

Put the prepared veg into a bowl, add the salt and mix well, then transfer to a sieve or fine colander placed over a bowl. Leave for about half an hour. You’ll see that the salt draws quite a lot of liquid out of the veg.

Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry a 500ml capacity Kilner or Le Parfait-type jar, or a robust jam jar with a vinegar-proof lid.

Pack the salted veg into the jar (don’t rinse the veg first, but do discard the salty liquid in the bowl).

Put the cider vinegar, sugar, herbs, coriander seeds and peppercorns into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and let it bubble for 2 minutes.

Immediately pour the pickling liquor over the veg in the jar, keeping the herbs out, but making sure the peppercorns and coriander seeds go into the jar. The veg must be completely submerged in the vinegar. Seal the jar straight away and leave to cool.

Store in the fridge for at least a week before opening, then use within 10 weeks (keeping the jar in the fridge).