Friday, July 19, 2013

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

1. Combine in a quart jar:
¾ cup water
1 cup vinegar (rice vinegar is my favorite mild vinegar and works well in this recipe)
2. Add and stir to dissolve:
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3. Add spices and flavorings. I used:
2-3 whole cloves
½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds
2 or more sprigs of fresh dill or tarragon
1 small red onion, quartered
2 or more peeled garlic cloves
4. Add cucumbers:
3 – 4 lemon cucumbers, quartered lengthwise
Optional: blanched whole green beans, ends trimmed
Cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate for a couple of days to allow the spices to flavor the vegetables.
The spices I used in my version of her recipe resulted in tasty pickles but there is a lot of room for experimentation and trying a variety of spices and flavors. Use herbs and vegetables right out of your garden or  have fun foraging at your farmer’s market for produce to use. The green beans are especially good – I cooked them in boiling water for only a couple of minutes, drained them, then added them to the prepared jar. They were crisp, tender and delicious.

A plate of fresh, chilled, pickled veggies makes a refreshing summer appetizer or is perfect for picnics, and as a garnish for salads.

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