I have a thing for pickles. I have told the story many times that my first word was actually “Gurke!” which is the German work for pickle. And I will eat them by the jar. OK, hopefully not by the jar because that is a little too much vinegar even for my iron stomach. So, I decided to make my own this year. I do this every few years, but when I saw the baby cornichons (these are literally just an inch or two in size), I just had to make them. They are a little salty (next time add a little more sugar to the brine), but otherwise, these are pretty fantastic. They should stay good in the fridge for a while, but I’ll likely eat them all by next week!
Ingredients
About 2 pounds of small pickling cucumbers, washed and trimmed
4 tablespoons kosher salt
8 fresh dill sprigs
for the pickling liquid
1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup cold water
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Directions
Wash and pat dry the cucumbers. In a bowl, toss with salt and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Rinse and pack into jars along with the sprigs of dill (I put some dill in the bottom and some on the top.
Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat and then whisk the water and spices into the mixture. Allow to cool to warm.
Ladle the warm brine into each jar making sure all the cucumbers are completely covered. If necessary, add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers and dill completely.
Place the lids on the jars tightly and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the jars at least 72 hours before serving. Cucumbers will keep in the refrigerator for up to two months.
