Sauces, conserves & preserves
Cucumber Pickles
This is adapted from an old Watson family recipe, to coincide with our own Devon-grown mini cucumber season. Ideal tucked into any number of sandwiches, wraps or burgers, or as a condiment at the dinner table. It will store for a couple of months, so should be perfect for picnics and BBQs across the summer. Makes 2 small jars.
Cook's notes
It may seem like you’re using excessive amounts of salt, but its main function is to draw moisture out of the veg. It gives an added crunch and stops it from becoming watery as it stores. Most of the salt is flushed away, leaving the pickle perfectly seasoned.
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 4 mini cucumbers
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 100g sugar
- 150ml cider vinegar
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 whole cloves
- small bunch of dill
- 2 small sterile jam jars
Method
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Step 1
Make sure your jars are properly clean before you use them. Lots of hot soapy water and a good rinse followed by drying out in a low oven (140°C/Gas 1) for 10-15 mins, or a trip through a very hot dishwasher cycle.
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Step 2
Peel and finely slice the onion. Thinly slice all the cucumbers. Place them in a colander and add the salt. Mix well, and weigh down with a side plate placed on top. Leave the colander sat in your sink for about an hour to drain.
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Step 3
Meanwhile, put the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan and add the spice . Bring up to a simmer and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and leave it to infuse the flavours.
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Step 4
When ready, rinse the onions and cucumbers in the colander under cold running water, to flush away any excess salt. Leave to drain for a few mins.
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Step 5
Tear the dill into small sprigs and mix them through the onion and cucumber mixture. Divide the mixture between the two jam jars, packing it down as tightly as you can.
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Step 6
Bring the pickling liquid back up to a simmer, then pour it into the jam jars so that it covers the cucumbers. If you can try and divide the spices between the two jars too, all the better.
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Step 7
Screw on the lids and turn upside down for 5 mins to sterilise the lids. Leave to cool and pop on the labels. The pickle can be eaten after a day or stored for up to 2 months. Refrigerate once opened and eat with 3 days.