Pickled Lampascioni (Hyacinth Bulbs)
Simple, traditional pickled hyacinth bulbs with herbs, garlic and chili. Serve them straight from the jar as an antipasti, or warmed up as a garnish for meat.
Ingredients
Lampascioni
- ¾ lb or 25-30 Muscari comosum hyacinth bulbs *see note
- For cooking the bulbs
- 4 cups water + 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
For pickling the bulbs
- 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh tender herbs such as parsley, mint, oregano, lovage, basil, etc
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon toasted cracked peppercorns
Instructions
Trimming
- Cut the top and bottom off of each hyacinth bulb, then cut a shallow X in the root end of each.
- Bring the 4 cups of water and tablespoon of salt to a boil with the hyacinth bulbs, and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender.
Leaching
- Drain the bulbs, discard the water, and cool. Cover the bulbs with fresh water by a couple inches and allow to rest in the refrigerator overnight or for as long as few days, changing the water a couple times if you find them unpalatably bitter. Remember that the flavor will change a bit after they're seasoned and aged in their jars.
Seasoning
- The next day, drain the bulbs well and toss with the garlic, pepper, chopped herbs, and red pepper flakes and pack into a wide-mouth pint mason jar. If you can't fit all the bulbs in the jar, cut them in half or into quarters. If you can keep them whole (sizes will vary) they'll keep the best texture.
Processing
- Meanwhile, bring the ½ cup vinegar, teaspoon of salt, and 1 cup of water to a boil, pour into the jar, agitating the bulbs with a skewer to remove any air pockets so the jar can be filled to the brim. Process the jar in a water bath for 10 minutes, cool, and store in a pantry for up to 12 months.
Notes
*I've used Hyacinthus orientalis here in place of the traditional muscari bulbs. Hyacinthus bulbs have a very mild flavor compared to Muscari bulbs, which are very bitter. When eating new foods, make sure to consume small amounts the first time you try them (1 oz or less).