Polska

For my mama’s gherkins you will need a few unusual materials; a leaf from an oak tree, some horseradish leaves and a big, flat stone that fits into the container. Both leaves are available in the wild and in domestic gardens, but make sure you know what you are looking for before you start foraging.

The gherkins need to be packed tightly, so you need to have plenty of them and a container in which they fit snugly, then place the heavy stone (wrapped in a plastic bag) on top, to press them down. You’ll need special gherkin cucumbers for this – they are much smaller than the usual British cucumbers and have a rougher skin. They are often available in Turkish and Polish shops. {Makes a 2 litre jar (3½ pints/8 cups)}

Place the cucumbers, garlic cloves, dill, oak leaves and horseradish leaves in a large ceramic or glass container.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the salt. We used 2 litres (3½ pints/8 cups) of water for about 20 little cucumbers. Allow the water to cool slightly (about 15 minutes) before pouring it into your container. Make sure everything is submerged under the water. Place your large stone in a plastic food bag and place in the container, to weigh down the contents.

Normally, you would leave these for about 48 hours, but you can try them after 24 hours, depending on how pickled you like yours. Once they’re to your taste, transfer the cucumbers and the garlic to a sterilised jar, topping up with the pickling brine.

You can either eat the gherkins immediately or seal the jar and store in a cool, dry place for a couple of months. Once opened, eat within 2 weeks.