Have I ever told you about my complete and utter infatuation with the Dill Pickle? The Gherkin. The traditional accompaniment to the American burger. I have never met a combination of Vinegar, Dill and the standard ol’ cucumber that I didn’t love. Put them together and I am in heaven.
This infatuation has roots literally to the first years that I was on this plant (or any other planet, as far as I know). As my mum will tell you, I abhorred baby food. Anything mushing and unidentifiable, I wasn’t going to eat. No mushy carrots, no porridge, no yogurt. Blech. So there I was, one day at that age when one is just learning to speak and I was being a fussy little one, sitting in a high chair and pointing at the table. The family tried everything: does the want a piece of bread? Perhaps some of the soup that my sister was eating? Anything, anything? Finally, in my infant rage, I skipped the whole Mama and Papa as my first word and yelled “GURKE!” (the German word for pickle, think like gherkin). And yes indeed, I wanted a dill pickle. To this day, I have to pace myself from eating entire jars in one sitting. Yeah, I’m weird like that.
And while I have my favorite store bought ones, I also make my own. This is my basic recipe (though I make some spicier ones too). These Refrigerator Dill Pickles can be used for whole mini-cukes, spears, stackers and slices…. add a little bit of onion and it makes a great relish too. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a fridge full of deliciousness.
Ingredients
(for 4 of the 5 kinds; make some of each or just one type; recipe for the relish follows)
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 pounds pickling cucumbers
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 large bunch fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon pickle crisp (citric acid) per jar
Directions
Clean and prepare your pickling cucumbers. Take the smallest and keep them whole, trimming off the tops and bottoms. Cut others to spears. Stackers should be cut horizontally and slices cut vertically. I used a mandolin for the stackers and slices, to keep them even.
Stir water, vinegar, sugar, and sea salt together in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and cool completely.
In each jar, place 1/4 teaspoon of pickle crisp, then fill in prepared cucumbers, and divide the peppercorns, mustard seeds and dill. Ladle in the brine liquid, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom. Chill for a minimum of 3 days before eating. Pickles should stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Ingredients
(for the relish, kind 5)
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, finely ground,
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 bunch fresh dill, finely minced
1 pound pickling cucumbers, 1/4 inch or smaller dice
1 small onion, 1/4 inch or smaller dice
1/4 teaspoon pickle crisp (citric acid) per jar
Directions
Clean and prepare your pickling cucumbers. Cut the cucumbers and onions as fine as you like. This will determine the chunkiness of your relish. Set aside a work bowl.
Stir water, vinegar, sugar, sea salt, pepper, mustard together in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and cool completely. Add in the dill.
In each jar, place 1/4 teaspoon of pickle crisp, then fill in prepared cucumbers and onions. Fill the jars pretty full. Ladle in the brine liquid, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom. Chill for a minimum of 3 days before eating. Relish should stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 months.
