Have you ever wondered who the hell Peter Piper was and where his peck of pickled peppers ended up? No? Me neither—until I heard about a Chicago chef who just might be the reincarnation of Peter Piper. Chef David Dworshak, 38, of Takito Kitchen and Bar Takito is a pickling connoisseur—both at his restaurants and in his free time. You’ll find him pickling hibiscus-infused jicama for the masses at his Wicker Park taco joint Takito Kitchen. But at home, he’s experimenting with recipes that may not appeal to the usual Wicker Park crowd. Like, uh, pickled pigs’ feet.
“It’s not really for the faint of heart,” Dworshak laughed about that concoction. “I was just like, ‘OK, that was cool. Probably not going to do that for the restaurant.’ “
When he was in high school, the mother of a family friend taught Dworshak how to preserve vegetables with vinegar. She also allowed him to grow his own vegetables in her home garden. “She was the first person who got me into the farm-to-table vibe,” he said.
Today, Dworshak still relies on what’s in season and readily available at a local level. He frequents farmers markets, hunting for pickling material: mushrooms, squash, carrots, green tomatoes, beets and peppers. At Bar Takito alone, he estimates the staff pickles 15 to 20 pounds of vegetables every week.
“We’re taking whatever seasonal vegetables are available at the farmers market and throwing it all together and mixing it up, and that becomes the pickle combination we use on a variety of dishes,” Dworshak explained.
For him, there’s nothing like topping a heavy dish with a sprinkle of colorful, acidic veggies. “I really just love the crunch, the bright, tart flavor and the presentation of color,” he said.
And though pickling sounds like a complicated weekend project that requires special equipment and oodles of time you don’t have, Dworshak insists that it doesn’t have to be. If you have clean jars, seasonal vegetables, vinegar and a little time on your hands, a pickled bounty can be all yours. Plus, it’s a great way to preserve seasonal flavors before winter hits.
“Once it gets cold, you don’t have as great of access to farmers markets,” Dworshak said. “That’s when you can turn to your pantry to allow you to eat local, healthy foods throughout the year. It takes some extra work throughout the harvest season, but it pays off.”
Of course, you can always head to Bar Takito (201 N. Morgan St. 312-888-9485) or Takito Kitchen (2013 W. Division St. 773-687-9620) for research and inspiration before trying it at home.
Recipe: Pickled seasonal vegetables
2 pounds seasonal vegetables, cut to your liking
1.5 cups apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon allspice, ground
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 sprigs oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
Bring all ingredients—except for vegetables—to a boil in a large pot. Place chopped vegetables in a glass or heavy plastic container and pour hot liquid over to fill. Cover and allow to return to room temperature. Store in refrigerator for up to one month.
—Recipe by Chef David Dworshak