Another very quick pickle to enjoy as a side dish or even as a sauce. These beauties are delicious atop a salad of greens or chicken salad. Also nice tucked into a ham sandwich made with pita bread. Serve with other sandwiches as well, or with chicken, or over rice or grains. Try as an hors d'oeuvre with goat cheese or mascarpone and crackers. Really nice on ice cream. Refreshing in a cocktail, especially one with Vodka. They keep their flavor well, but best if eaten within a week.
1 pound blueberries, rinsed
1 cup Balsamic vinegar (or you may use red wine, cider, or that 80’s favorite, raspberry vinegar)
½ cup water
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ Vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon ground vanilla powder
4 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
Place blueberries in a medium bowl.
Place remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar and sea salt. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour over the fruit. Cover the bowl with a plate and cool to room temperature.
When cool, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to marinate and pickle.
Variations
Make with white vinegar for a lighter version.
Make with strawberries or blackberries.
Add some peaches or nectarines to the batch.
Make with rosemary, mint, basil, or tarragon in place of the thyme.
Make with cinnamon, allspice, clove, cardamom, or ginger (fresh, crushed or dried) in place of an herb.
Add thinly sliced red onion, scallions, or Vidalia onion to the blueberries.
Add thinly sliced hot peppers to the batch such as jalapeno, cubanelle, or hot cherry.
Add julienne strips of lemon or orange zest to the blueberries.