HOT AND SPICY ZUCCHINI PICKLES

THESE SWEET AND SPICY SPEARS ARE NOT AS CRISP AS CUCUMBER PICKLES, BUT THEY ARE FIRM ENOUGH TO HAVE A NICE BITE TO THEM.

PREP: 1 HOUR STAND: 3 HOURS PROCESS: 10 MINUTES MAKES: 6 PINTS

4 pounds medium zucchini
4 cups ice cubes
¼ cup pickling salt
4 cups white vinegar
1⅔ cups water
1½ cups sugar
1 to 1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
6 small fresh red serrano or Thai chile peppers
6 small fresh green serrano or jalapeño chile peppers
6 bay leaves
6 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
3 teaspoons mustard seeds

1. Gently wash zucchini. Slice off stem and blossom ends. Cut zucchini into 3- to 4-inch-long spears, about ¾ inch thick (should have about 16 cups zucchini spears).

2. In an extra-large nonmetal bowl layer one-third of the zucchini, one-third of the ice cubes, and one-third of the salt. Repeat layers twice. Weight down mixture with a heavy plate. Allow to stand at room temperature for 3 hours.

3. After standing, remove any remaining ice from zucchini spears. Transfer zucchini to a colander set in a sink; drain.

4. In a 3-quart stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy pot combine vinegar, the water, sugar, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.

5. Pack zucchini into six hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a ½-inch headspace. To each jar, add one of the red chile peppers, one of the green chile peppers, one of the bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of the black peppercorns, and ½ teaspoon of the mustard seeds. Pour hot liquid into each jar to cover zucchini, maintaining a ½-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.

6. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks.

PER ¼ cup: 38 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 125 mg sodium, 8 g carb., 1 g fiber, 1 g pro.

SIZE MATTERS

If you have ever grown your own zucchini, you know how hard it is to keep up with the bounty of this prolific plant. Step away for a day and you can have squash that goes from slender and tender to tough and overgrown overnight. Pickle zucchini that are no larger than medium size (6 to 7 inches). Large zucchini are watery and seedy.