A quick pickle is an excellent way to add brightness and acidity to a rich dish. The foundation is balancing sweetness against sourness — typically sugar against vinegar. For this dish, cider vinegar and white wine form the acid base, sweetened with sugar. Whole spices like allspice berries, fennel seeds, star anise and black peppercorns add aromatic complexity. The liquor is brought to a boil to dissolve the sugar and release the spice oils, then poured over thinly sliced vegetables. The thinner the vegetable is sliced, the faster it pickles. For a quick pickle during a short cook, slice fennel paper-thin so it softens and absorbs flavour rapidly.