Ingredients
- 1- Buy *fresh* cucumbers, picked no earlier than the day before. They
- must be crunchy and break in half when bent. A soft cucumber will make
- a soggy pickle. A 4 litre basket will make about 6 1l jars.
- 2- Buy fresh dill weed with lots of yellow flowers. Available at the
- Byward market: just follow your nose. Also buy garlic bulbs.
- 3- Wash the cucumbers in cold water. Hot or warm water will soften them.
- 4- Pour 3 cups of vinegar, 3 cups of water and 6 tablespoon of salt in
- a large pot and heat just enough to dissolve all the salt. Let it cool
- (I usually put it on the back porch) (If you pour hot on the cucumber,
- that too will soften them). Enough for 3 1l jars.
- 5- Using 1 litre Mason jars, pack in the following order:
- Ingredients (use vegan versions):
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 dill flower
- pack with cucumber to 1/2
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 dill flower
- pack with cucumber to top
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 dill flower
- fill with *cold* vinegar/water/salt solution
Directions
6- Store in a cool dark place for at least 6 weeks before eating.
Note: The original recipe called for only 2 cloves of garlic and 2
dill flowers. I like them strong so I've added one more. Adjust to
taste.
You can also use the leaves from the dill weed. They have a little
less flavor but work just as well. I usually put 2 flowers and a
handful of leaves.
The cucumber season peaks in late august, early september. Last year I
went on the third week-end of Sept and it was the last one when they
were going to be available fresh.
Enjoy!
Janick Bergeron janick@bnr.ca