Hinterland Homesteading by Racheal Pascoe
Have you got cucumbers coming out of your ears? Maybe you could think about pickling some of them? This is a sure-fire way to pickle them quickly, so they are ready to be enjoyed in no time at all. Cucumbers make a great addition to salads, which we are all enjoying at this time of year. If you don’t have any cucumbers growing at present, maybe you could buy a couple of cucumbers from the fruit shop and give this tasty recipe a go!
INGREDIENTS
• 2 fresh cucumbers
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 shallots, white part only
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
METHOD
• Slice your cucumbers into 3mm slices.
• Layer them in a large jar, with a little dill and mustard seeds if you like the flavours.
• Add some sliced shallots and keep layering the ingredients, pressing down everything until your jar is full.
• Add the salt and vinegar.
• Top the jar up with cold water to cover the ingredients.
• Screw the lid on tightly.
• Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before enjoying. These will store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
NB: Increase or decrease the dill, mustard seeds and onion to suit your family’s tastes.
HOW TO ENJOY
How to enjoy pickles … serve them as a side to almost any dish, pop them in a burger, top any salad. They make a sandwich really pop with flavour.
Canning pickles to have a long storage life requires a lot of time and equipment. This method above is a really wonderful way to quickly deal with a glut of your fresh produce, so your family and friends can be enjoying them in no time at all.
