Brined Cucumbers
I don't make preserves because I have the luxury of receiving them already prepared from my grandmother and mother. Plus, many recipes require boiling a vinegar-based brine whose smell I can't stand. 😖 But this year ramisimion was so kind and sent me a recipe I actually like - I boiled the cucumbers directly in the covered jar and avoided the smell of warm vinegar. I only made two test jars, but given how good they are, after vacation I'll make a few more. The ingredients are for one jar, so you can easily multiply the quantities for as many jars as you want.
Rami, I added a few extra pieces of horseradish compared to your recipe, knowing it keeps the preserves "crunchy". Mustard seeds do the same, but I wanted to be doubly sure about this - I don't like soft preserves. Last night when I tasted them they were perfect, not fully brined yet, but similar to fermented cucumbers, which I like better. It would be so nice if they stayed at this stage...
Ingredients
approx. 400-500g small cucumbers, sized to fit in the jar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
dried dill sprigs
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
1 small piece of horseradish (approx. 5 cm)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
50 ml vinegar
Servings: 1 jar of 750-800g
How to prepare brined cucumbers
- Cut the onion into thin slices and the garlic into slivers. Cut the horseradish into sticks. Wash the cucumbers well (I washed them in salted water) and trim off a bit of the stem end.
- Place a few dried dill sprigs on the bottom of the jar, 3-4 horseradish sticks, half of the onion slices, half of the garlic and a teaspoon of mustard seeds.
- Then arrange the cucumbers standing upright with the cut stem end facing up. You can insert more dill sprigs between the cucumbers. On top add the remaining onion, garlic, horseradish, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Pour water over the cucumbers to cover them.
- Close the jar tightly, then place it in a pot with water and simmer over medium heat until the cucumbers slightly change color, becoming yellowish (10 minutes after the water starts boiling). Remove the jar from the pot and place it upside down on a tray or towel for about 2 hours. Store in a cool place.
- After 2 days they can be served. After opening, keep refrigerated.
Cover the bottom of the jar with aromatics
Add the cucumbers and then more aromatics
After boiling, keep upside down for 2 hours
Brined Cucumbers
Brined Cucumbers
