This recipe is like adding mustard and pickles to your sandwich all at once and is perfect for adding a pickle punch to your next sack lunch. I created these pickled slicers especially for topping a Cubano sandwich. The slicers are tart from the lime juice, tangy from the mustard, and have a deep turmeric glow. This is a good recipe to break out the mandolin for, but if you don’t have one, get ready to practice your slicing skills.
6 medium cucumbers
6 medium garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 large limes)
4 cups distilled vinegar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 cup Turmeric Mustard
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, divided
Makes 6 pints
TIP
If you didn’t make the Turmeric Mustard, you can substitute with store-bought yellow mustard.
Assemble the canning stations as described on pages 5–7, steps 2–4. At the food preparation station, wash the cucumbers under cold running water. Cut the cucumbers into 1/4-inch-thick slices lengthwise, then cut them to fit the length of the jar, minus an inch. Peel the garlic. Wash the limes and squeeze the juice.
In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, make the brine by combining vinegar, 2 cups of water, salt, peppercorns, lime juice, Turmeric Mustard, mustard seeds, and turmeric powder. Bring to a boil over high heat, until the salt dissolves. Turn the heat down to low and let the brine infuse for 5 minutes.
At the filling station, keep the jars and brine hot while filling each jar. Place one garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes into the bottom of each jar. Tightly pack the jar with cucumber slices, leaving 1 inch of headspace from the top. Use a heat-resistant pitcher and funnel to pour the brine into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove the air pockets, add more brine if necessary, wipe the rim, and secure the lid. Place the jars in the water bath, covered by 1 inch of water. Once the water is boiling, process for 10 minutes (pages 11–14, steps 7–12).
TIPS
Keep the pickles crisp by adding fresh grape leaves. I weigh the pickles down by putting a blanched grape leaf into the top of each jar.
Use these pickles to make the Dan Dan Noodles.