PALAVER-FREE DILL PICKLES, low sugar & salt, vegan

There is nothing better than a good dill pickle and home-made are real crowdpleasers:

Easy-peasy Home-made Dill Pickles 
'Wow!  I love these, I do. Very refreshing.''Better than I expected.' Tasters

67's home made pickles* - inspired by tv chef Bobby Flay - are crisp and crunchy, bathed in an invigorating solution of vinegar, fresh dill, sugar and salt.  

67 used basic store cupboard ingredients (though pickling seeds if you have them, are fine) and the preparation is incredibly simple.  No jars have to be sterilised, no boiling water baths wrestled with and no storing the pickles for months until they 'ripen'.   Just easy prep, three days in the fridge and they're done. 

They taste fantastic - neither too sweet nor too vinegary.  

Family and guests will be very impressed. 

The pickles are excellent as a snack, as a side for burgers and hot dogs or adding a little assertiveness to dressings and salads.  

The amounts of sugar and salt are low and the home-made solution avoid nasty preservatives.   

Take advantage of low cucumber prices; this recipe won't break the bank.

The pickles will last 1-2 weeks.  

Cost: depending on cucumbers about £3.50

Makes: 1.5 litres

Ingred: 

   Brine   

      3.5 cups water

      1.25 cups white vinegar (white wine vinegar for pref. but standard white will do)

      1 tbsp sugar

      3/4 tbsp salt

      1/2 tsp Dijon mustard or 1 tsp mustard seeds

      3/4 tsp dried coriander or 1 tbsp coriander seeds (not fresh)

   1 kilo/2pounds supermarket cucumber, washed 

   2 cloves garlic, finely sliced 

   2 bunches fresh dill

   7-8 black peppercorns

Method:

1. Mix brine ingred; bring to a boil; turn off heat, leave till completely cool
2. Cut the ends off the cucumbers
3. Halve them vertically; remove seeds with a teaspoon
4. Cut into 4in/10cm spears 
5. Layer garlic, dill & a few black peppercorns with the spears in a large glass container
6. Pour cold brine through a strainer over the cucumbers
7. Seal tightly with lid or a couple of layers of clingfilm
8. Refrigerate min2-max 3 days, stirring occasionally

*inspired by tv chef Bobby Flay

Comments:
'Wow; I love these, I do!  The combination of flavours is just right.  The spears are very refreshing; the slices are easy to eat and would make an excellent starter.  Your recipe is really good.'   Campaign manager
'Much nicer than I expected. Lovely cold on a hot day.' Retired writer

Tips: 

• to reduce resting time to 2 days, slice cucumbers into 1/2 inch slices (without removing seeds).  Follow the recipe from no. 5 onwards but refrigerate 2 days. 
• If you liked these, you will also like 67's Pickled Crudites 

Notes: 

There's been quite a pickle (sorry!) over fermented foods recently with many telly chefs extolling their virtues and adding them to various dishes. It's because fermented foods - pickled veg, yoghurt and cheese - help keep gut microbes healthy and can ward off chronic disease.   

Fermented foods:

• breakdown foods the body can't 

• help make vitamins essential for the immune system

• promote balance between good and bad gut bacteria

• restore gut health after antibiotics

They also offer have lovely strong flavours.

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.