Monday, July 26, 2010

pickles

Scott---
We all need your incredibly easy pickle recipe. Please??

4 comments:

  1. I'll have to get back to you on that one: I need to make them again and take note of the rough amount of what I am throwing in. We have cuccumbers coming up and out to the garden so I will have plenty of raw material to work with.

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  2. I cant't wait for this, we have cukes from the CSA and I can only handle eating so many cucumbers!!!

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  3. Its all a matter of taste- and impulse.

    I start with 2 medium cucumbers, washed. Depending on size of contiainer, they may not all fit. I've used a pyrex roughly 1 quart container (I think) with success.
    3/4 to 1 cup vineagar. I've used white wine and cider. Both are good but I liked the white version better.
    1/4 to 1/2 cup water to extend the fluid. Could do with out if you like more tart pickles.
    Roughly 1/4 to 1/3 cup simple syrup. We keep some around for cocktails. Its about 1 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water.
    Dill- its all a matter of taste. I've found good results with approx 2 Tsp dried and similar but more sublte results with a similar amount of fresh. More would be more dill taste, obviously.
    Fresh ground pepper- to taste. More is good in my opinion. Grinding helps open up the effect in a fresh pickle. Whole corns could be used.
    Corriander seeds- 1 tsp if you are inclined.
    Celery salt- 1-2 tsp
    Allspice- 1/2 to 1 tsp or to taste
    Minced dried onion- 2-3 tsp. Important addition I think adds balance.
    Garlic powder- 2-3 tsp or more (less if you are weak) as inclined.
    Optional: nutmeg pinch and red pepper flakes. Honestely, I liked the touch of pepper but not the nutmeg so much
    Salt- less than you think. To taste. I have usually added in rough table spoon amounts untill I think I like to effect. Usually about 3. Good to add last.

    The effect benefits from some refrigerated rest time. I've been adding new cukes to the same sauce for up to 3 days with no known ill effect.

    Let me know what you think. Its a work in progress and one that benefits from flexibility and creative additions.

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  4. Thanks, as you know I modified the recipe to fit what I had available. Added a thinly sliced shallot, substituted a little rice wine vinegar because I didn't have enough of the other stuff, didn't have celery salt, substituted minced elephant garlic for garlic salt--and the still turned out be quite edible. In other words, this is a flexible recipe to play with. Perfect!

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