We are all deluged with cucumbers this time of year and there is a limit to the number one can consume in a salad! There is nothing worse than finding a limp member in your fridge! You can’t even throw it at somebody! Time to get smart and start pickling. Pickled cucumbers are just amazing and are such a good compliment to all sorts of dishes from pâtes to cold meats as well as in roast dinners and sandwiches. They can last for months in the fridge so it’s a great way to keep your cucumbers ( and other vegetables) through the winter months. What’s more it is so easy to do and they make great gifts for neighbours and friends.
Ingredients
2 kg cucumbers
2 tsp. salt
1 l Apple cider vinegar
500-600 g cane sugar
2 tbsp. yellow mustard seeds
8 pcs. star anise
16-20 pcs. black peppercorns
Method:
First peel the cucumbers.
Cut in half and deseed using a spoon.
Cut the cucumbers into small strips. Cover thoroughly in salt using your hands and place in the refrigerator until next day.
Next day make the apple cider vinegar mixture. All the ingredients for the vinegar are boiled up in a pan.
The cucumbers are rinsed in ice-cold water and put in a scalded sterilised top glass jar.
The vinegar is poured over the cucumbers boiling hot so take care. Then close and seal the jars for storage in a dark cool place.
If sealed jars are used, the cucumbers can be kept for a minimum of ½-1 year; otherwise they should preferably be left in the fridge and eaten within a few months.
Don’t forget to date and label your pickled cucumbers. You might also like to pickle walnuts and any vegetable that takes your fancy!
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