Recipe Tue Aug 26 2008

Pickles Galore

Bumper crop of cucumbers have you flummoxed? This time of year, it happens to the best of us. One of my favorite ways to use a windfall of cucs or, even better, small Kirby pickles is to throw together a batch of Ohio Quick Pickles. I found this recipe years ago, who knows where, and it's earned a spot in my book of favorites. For some color, add a few carrots, thinly sliced on the bias.

Ingredients

2 lbs. Kirby pickles or cucumbers (If using Kirbys, which are smaller than cucumbers, slice in half to make spears or leave whole. If using cucumbers, slice in one-quarter-inch disks.)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 head of dill, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
2 cups white vinegar, diluted with about a quarter cup of water
1/2 tsp. pepper

First, combine cucumbers, chopped garlic and dill in a large glass bowl and sprinkle with salt. Mix well, and let stand for two hours.

Combine sugar, vinegar and pepper in another bowl. This is your brine.

When the two hours is up, combine the brine and cucumber mixture. Do not drain the cucumbers before adding the brine. Just mix everything together.

It's best to wait one day before eating these, so the flavors can really develop. You can store these in a clean jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You also can "can" these using standard canning methods, and then store them on the shelf. But delayed gratification is not the point of quick pickles!

— Mandy Burrell Booth / Comments (2)