Summer – gardens – picnics – tea parties – cucumber sandwiches. It all kind of follows on one into the other. But what about something with just a wee bit more bite, a bit more zing than the ubiquitous cucumber ever so thinly sliced in a delicate cucumber sandwich.
Let’s butch up the cucumber and give it some guts by making pickled cucumbers!
Like all good recipes that make it into your keepers file this one is quick and easy to do.
You will need
Juice of 1 lemon
450ml/1 pint white wine vinegar
200g/7 oz granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
12 peppercorns
2 cloves garlic
2 cucumbers
2 sprigs dill
2 sprigs mint
Here’s how
Pour the vinegar and lemon juice into a pan and add the sugat, salt and peppercorns. Heat on a medium temperature until the sugar has completely dissolved and then raise the temperature to boiling for 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool completely.
Slice the garlic into slithers and chop the cucumber into 5mm/1/4 ” rings.
Rip up the herbs.
Pack a 1 litre sterilised jar with layers of the cucumber, herbs and garlic.
Pour over the cooled vinegar and pop on the lid.
Store in a cool dark cupboard and use within 2 months.
Once opened store in the fridge.
Use your pickled cucumbers instead of the traditional dill pickles in a burger bun, add to a smoked salmon sandwich with some salad greens and a dollop of creamy mayonnaise, or just grab a fork and dig in when the notion strikes you.
Enjoy!
Karon x
Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 450 ml/1 pint white wine vinegar
- 200 g/7 oz granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 12 peppercorns
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cucumbers
- 2 sprigs dill
- 2 sprigs mint
Instructions
- Pour the vinegar and lemon juice into a pan and add the sugat, salt and peppercorns. Heat on a medium temperature until the sugar has completely dissolved and then raise the temperature to boiling for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Slice the garlic into slithers and chop the cucumber into 5mm/1/4 " rings.
- Rip up the herbs.
- Pack a 1 litre sterilised jar with layers of the cucumber, herbs and garlic.
- Pour over the cooled vinegar and pop on the lid.
- Store in a cool dark cupboard and use within 2 months.
- Once opened store in the fridge.
One I use, American I think.
Cucumber pickle
• Cucumbers, unpeeled and cut into thin slices ( a mandolin slicer works great)
• 1 or 2 small onions, sliced and separated into rings
• 3 cups white sugar
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 1/4 cup pickling salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
1. Fill an empty 1 gallon bucket with cucumber and onion slices.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes.
3. Pour over cucumbers and onions.
4. Stir and let cool.
5. Cover and store in refrigerator. (Will keep for months, if they last that long!)
6. They are ready to eat when they change colour.
Thanks Ron, that sounds good.
K x
Can this mixture be put into a few glass jars to keep in fridge Thanks for help, Barbara
Yes,
Me again
This seems a lot of cucumber and onion and not enough liquild
I made this recipe so obviously the quantities worked for me