These pickles are also great light snacks on their own, and they’re nice, tangy additions to cheese boards and party spreads. Today I'll show you how to make this easy refrigerator pickles recipe, but also how to make both sweet and hot pickles variety. Place all the veg in a sterilised airtight jar, add 125ml of water, along with the vinegar, salt, sugar and herbs and spices, if using. If that doesn’t work you can also try blending your sugar, in either a Cuisinart or a blender, to try to break it up into even smaller granules.

Lisa is also dedicated to finding and testing the best ingredients, kitchen gear and home products for our Test Kitchen-Preferred program.

My sister-in-law is one of the most environmentally conscientious people I know, and she’s always coming up with new ideas to save waste. Photograph: Tom Hunt/The Guardian Tom Hunt’s quick pickled red onions: makes a delicious garnish for stews, salads and stir-fries. I love to cook and entertain with easy to make recipes and simple ideas that make people feel special. Pickles are little flavor bombs that add crunch and a vinegary pop to whatever you're using them for.

They are a fabulous balance of sweet and spicy flavors, perfect for layering on burgers, and sandwiches, served on charcuterie boards, or just eating right out of the jar! Or, for spears, slice them in half lengthwise, then slice the halves lengthwise into quarters, then slice the quarters lengthwise into eighths. If you don’t have a cool spot, the next best option is the fridge, where they should keep for a couple of weeks. Allow a few centimetres of space at the top of the jar and make sure the vegetables are well-covered in vinegar. She was about to chuck out some pickle juice along with a few leftover raw veg sticks that her kids had left on their plates when her inbuilt, food waste-saving mindset cut in, and she thought of this great way to save both food items.Even if your onions sprout, all is not lost: peel them down to the sprouts inside, plant in the garden or in pots, and they will grow into fresh onions.