Kelp Pickles

Photo: flickr user °Florian

Preparation

Kelp pickles are not hard to make-in most cases you can do it just using a regular pickle recipe. Some of the best pickles, in a pleasing "ring"

Shape, can be made with small stipes (stalks) of the Nereocystis

"bullwhip" kelp which is common in Washington and British Columbia.

Likely if your light station is a rocky island it is ringed by a

"forest" of bullwhip kelp.

Here is a recipe for sweet kelp pickles that I have found very successful: 2 quarts of hollow Nereocystis bulbs and stipes cut about 1/2" long 2 C sugar or 1 1/2 C honey2 tsp each of celery seed, turmeric, mustard seed, and pickling spice 1 medium onion sliced1 tsp salt1 clove garlic or 1/4 tsp powdered garlic 1 1/2 C white vinegar

Combine all ingredients and let stand 3 hours. Heat to boiling and seal in hot jars. Needs no further processing. For a more tart pickle, decrease sugar.