Quick cucumber pickles

Whenever I see kirby cucumbers at my greengrocer, I always buy a few kilos because they are hands-down the best cucumbers for this recipe. They’re about 7–10 cm (2¾–4 inches) long, with a ridged skin and uneven green colour. They are an ugly fruit, but make an excellent pickle because they stay crunchy due to their lower water content and thick, rough skin. Ask your greengrocer to order some in early summer if you can’t find any.

You could also use small Lebanese (short) cucumbers for these pickles, but it is a good idea to slice them and salt them overnight to extract as much water as possible, so they don’t become soft in the brine.

MAKES: 4 x 500 ml (16 oz) jars

INGREDIENTS

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) kirby cucumbers, or salted and rinsed small Lebanese (short) cucumbers

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) apple cider vinegar

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) water

2 tablespoons kosher salt or sea salt

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

2 fresh dill sprigs

2 small red chillies (optional)

METHOD

Sterilise your jars and lids using a method outlined here. Keep them warm until you are ready to use them.

Wash and dry the cucumbers, being sure to remove any stems or flowers. Either slice the cucumbers into batons, making sure they are the right length to stand up in your jars, or slice them into rounds; you can also leave them whole, if you like.

Combine the vinegar, water and salt in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Once the salt has dissolved, take the pan off the heat.

Divide the peppercorns, garlic, dill and chillies, if using, among the hot jars, then pack the cucumbers in tightly. Pour the warm vinegar mixture into the warm jars, leaving a 1 cm (½ inch) gap at the top of each jar. Both the liquid and the jars need to be warm to ensure that the lids seal properly. Also, make sure the cucumbers are completely submerged; if they aren’t, you can lay one cucumber baton or slice flat across the top, to push them down. Tap gently to make sure there are no air bubbles.

Using paper towel, wipe the rims clean. Screw the lids on and leave until cool.

Leave for 2 weeks before eating, or store for up to 6 months. Once opened, store in the fridge.

Clockwise from top left: Farmers’ market pickles; Quick cucumber pickles; Pickled ginger; Bread & butter pickles; Sweet mustard pickles.