In Savory Sweet: Simple Preserves from a Northern Kitchen, Beth Dooley and Mette Nielsen show first-time and experienced canners alike how to make the most of a short growing season to celebrate local, fresh ingredients. Find the book at The University of Minnesota Press.

Makes 1 quart

2 tsp. salt
2 cups boiling water, plus more for rinsing the jar
1 pound radishes (about 4 cups), sliced very thin
1 Tbsp. juniper berries
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
2 Fresno peppers, sliced crosswise into thin rings
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced thin
A clip-top jar with a rubber gasket

  1. In a medium bowl, dissolve the salt in 2 cups of boiling water. Set the bowl aside.

  2. Rinse the jar and gasket with boiling water. Pack the radishes, juniper berries, coriander seeds, peppers and ginger into the jar. Add the brine. Make sure to leave about 1 inch of headroom for expansion as the radishes ferment.

  3. Cover the jar with a double-layer square of wax paper a bit larger than the jar opening. Fold in the corners with a clean spoon, and gently push down so some of the brine comes up over the wax paper. This will keep the radishes submerged and oxygen out. 

  4. Close the jar, set it on a plate, and let it sit for at least 6 to 8 days before opening. Taste the radishes. The longer the jar sits, the more the vegetables will ferment. Once fermented, refrigerate the radishes.

Tip: Serve these peppery, tangy radishes on a cheese plate, take them on picnics or chop them into a chicken salad.