Pickles have been a part of my life for a long time. My father always made them (and still does) every summer. The kitchen, already hot and humid, filled with steam and the smell of vinegar. I watched him reach into the pot and carefully pull out each jar with the special canning tongs. He lined up the quarts on the counter top, where they patiently waited to be sealed and placed on the basement shelves. We enjoyed them throughout the year, savoring their crunch and the reminder of summer.
Recently, I found a recipe for pickles that doesn’t require canning (a fact which is handy in the 100+ degree heat). It still makes the kitchen smell like vinegar. It’s still totally worth it.
- 4-5 pickling cucumbers, quartered lengthwise, or cut into ‘chips’
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- a quarter of a small white onion, sliced thinly
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and gently smashed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dill seed
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 cup hot water
Place the cut cucumbers in a quart jar that has a lid (such as a mason jar). Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture over cucumbers and refrigerate one day before serving. They’ll last for about a week.
Makes about 1 quart or two pints, and is very easy to double or triple.
Inspired from a recipe in Real Simple Magazine.
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