I READ SOMEWHERE THAT THE NAME “BREAD-AND- butter pickle” is a remnant of leaner days. When a family lacked the means to purchase more exalted sandwich fillings, they’d turn to jars of homemade sweet pickles to round out a meal of bread and butter. Whether or not the story is true, I do find that these pickles are excellent both as sandwich topper and as a straight-from-the-jar snack. For unabashed dedication to authenticity, search out a knife or mandoline designed to make crinkle cuts.
6 cups thickly sliced pickling cucumbers (about 1 quart/1 kg whole cucumbers)
2 cups sliced red bell peppers (about 2 peppers)
2 cups sliced onion (about 1 large onion)
¼ cup/50 g pickling salt
2 cups/480 ml apple cider vinegar
1½ cups/300 g granulated sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Combine the sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, onion, and pickling salt in a large bowl. Place them in the refrigerator and let them sit for between 4 and 12 hours. The goal is to draw as much liquid out of the cucumbers as possible (so it can later be replaced with the brine). Rinse and drain the vegetables.
Prepare a boiling water bath and 5 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a large pot. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the mustard seed, celery seed, red pepper flakes and cloves. Increase the heat to high and bring the brine to a boil. Add the drained vegetables and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, until all the vegetables in the brine are fully heated through.
Using tongs, fill the sterilized jars with the vegetables. Slowly pour the hot brine over the vegetables in each jar, leaving ½ inch/12 mm headspace. Gently tap the jars on a towel-lined countertop to help loosen any bubbles before using a wooden chopstick to dislodge any remaining bubbles. Check the headspace again and add more brine if necessary.
Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see page 11).
Let these pickles cure for at least 48 hours before eating.
