PREP: 45 minutes COOK: 5 minutes PROCESS: 5 minutes MAKES: 5 pints
3 lb. fresh green beans
5 fresh Thai or red serrano chile peppers (optional)
3 cups water
3 cups white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. snipped fresh dill or 1 Tbsp. dried dill
1 Tbsp. pickling salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper or 1 Thai chile pepper
5 small heads fresh dill (optional)
1. Wash beans; drain. If desired, remove ends and strings. Leave beans whole. In an uncovered 8-qt. pot cook beans and the 5 fresh chile peppers (if using) in enough boiling water to cover 5 minutes; drain.
2. Pack hot beans lengthwise into five hot sterilized pint canning jars, cutting beans to fit, if necessary, and leaving a ½-inch headspace. Add one of the boiled chile peppers (if using) to each jar. Set aside.
3. In a large stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy saucepan combine the next seven ingredients (through crushed red pepper). Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar.
4. Pour hot vinegar mixture over beans in jars, maintaining the ½-inch headspace. If desired, add a head of fresh dill to each jar. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.
5. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. (Canning tips, pages 461–466.)
PER ½ CUP PICKLED BEANS: 42 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 357 mg sodium, 7 g carb., 3 g fiber, 2 g pro.