Got cool cucumbers? Here’s a way to relish them

A co-founder of the famed Cornersmith food community shows you how to make the most of fruit and vegetables using traditional skills with no waste. And you get yummy jars of pickles.

Bread and butter cucumber pickles. Picture: Alan Benson

These are the first pickles we ever made, and were our bestsellers. Small cucumbers are best for pickling as their water content is lower. Feel free to experiment with spices. These are classic pickle spices, but you could use whole chillies, garlic cloves, bay leaves and strips of lemon zest.

Alex Elliott-Howery. Picture: Alan Benson

Pocket Pickler by Alex Elliott-Howery.

Recipe

Bread & butter cucumber pickles

Preparation time: 20 mins, plus 1–2 hours salting, plus 20 mins sterilising, plus 10 mins heat-processing

Storage: Up to six to 12 months

Makes: About 6 x 375ml (13 fl oz/1½ cup) jars

INGREDIENTS

• 2kg (4lb 8 oz) Lebanese (short) cucumbers – the smaller, the better
• 2 tbsp salt, plus 1 tsp salt for the brine
• 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) white wine vinegar
• 110g (3¾ oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 500ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) water
• 2 small brown onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp dill seeds
• 2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 12–18 black peppercorns

METHOD

1. Slice the cucumbers into rounds the thickness of a coin. Put into a bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons salt, then let sit for 1–2 hours (or overnight) to draw out any excess liquid; the bigger the cucumbers, the longer it will take. Transfer to a colander and let drain.
2. Meanwhile, sterilise your jars and lids (see below).
3. Make a brine by putting the vinegar, sugar, turmeric, salt and water into a non-reactive, medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat and bring to a boil.
4. Transfer the cucumber to a large bowl. Add the onion, along with the mustard, fennel and dill seeds, and the chilli flakes, if using. Use your hands to mix everything together well.
5. When the jars are cool enough to handle, use small tongs or clean hands to carefully pack the cucumbers into the jars, adding 2 or 3 peppercorns to each jar. The jars should be full but not over-packed – the brine needs to cover every slice of cucumber, and if they are packed too tightly the brine won’t be able to get into every nook and cranny.
6. Fill the jars with brine until the cucumbers are covered. Remove any air bubbles by gently tapping each jar on the work surface and sliding a butter knife or chopstick around the inside to release any hidden air pockets. You may then need to add more brine or cucumbers (the liquid should reach 1 cm/½ inch from the top of the jar). Wipe the rims of the jars with paper towel or a clean damp cloth and seal.
7. Heat-process the jars for 10 mins, then store in a cool, dark place. Although these pickles will keep for up to 12 months, they start to lose their crunch after about 6 months.

STERILISING JARS AND BOTTLES

1. To sterilise jars or bottles, give them a wash in hot soapy water and a good rinse, then place them upright in a baking dish in a cold oven. Heat the oven to 110°C (225°F) and, once it has reached temperature, leave the jars in the oven for about 10–15 mins, or until completely dry, then remove them carefully.
2. For hot packing, pour the hot chutney straight into the hot jars; for cold packing, let the jars cool before adding your pickles or preserves.
3. To sterilise the lids, place them in a large saucepan of boiling water for 5 mins, then drain and dry with clean paper towels, or leave them on a wire rack to air dry. Make sure they are completely dry before using.

Images and text from Pocket Pickler by Alex Elliott-Howery, photography by Alan Benson. Murdoch Books RRP $29.99.