Crunchy Quick Pickled Cucumber

Versión en español. Pulse Aquí

I love pickled cucumbers, especially when they are crisp and crunchy. They take me back to the “new green” pickles of my childhood which I could never get enough of. Those cucumbers were dark green, long and bendy, but you can use any cucumber you like. These pickles aren’t at all sharp or vinegary.  They are light and fresh.

Making these pickles couldn’t be quicker or simpler. It’s like making a quick salad. You simply make the brine, add the cucumber, close the jar and pop them into the fridge. They will be ready to eat in a couple of hours and will last about a week in the fridge before they lose their crispness. The best bit is you can reuse the brine at least a couple of times so if it you find you’ve devoured half the jar before you’ve even got it to the table, just add more cucumber to the jar and keep on munching! 

Great in sandwiches, burgers and the fantastic marinated salmon of the previous post!

Ingredients

2-3 cucumbers – cut into slices

1 cup water

2 tsp salt

1/3 cup white vinegar (either cider vinegar, rice vinegar, white vinegar)

1/3 cup sugar (Or to taste. You may prefer less)

Dill (preferably fresh)

1 tsp whole coriander seed

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

Optional: a clove or two of garlic

Method 

Take a jar and pour in the water, vinegar, salt and sugar and stir till the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the dill, spices and the cucumber slices. Taste the brine to see how you like it and adjust as necessary. The brine should cover the cucumber so add some more if it doesn’t. Close the jar and put into the fridge. It will be ready in a few hours and be good for about a week. 

No more sharp over vinegary supermarket pickles. We’ve got this one nailed!