They are incredibly easy and the idea was given to me by my lovely friend Svetlana. I changed the recipe she gave me ever so slightly as she suggested that it should be made the night before, and I only had an hour! Bit last minute. Svet's recipe doesn't use balsamic vinegar and relies on fresh dill, which sadly I couldn't get hold of in time. (With only an hour to spare!).
Another fab friend Ruth also has a pickled cucumber recipe that I will find the secrets to and share here!
Easy Pickled cucumber:
Half a cucumber
Balsamic vinegar (sloshes of it)
Soda water
Rock salt (lots)
Garlic (as much as you like)
Dried basil
Dried Sage
Peppercorns
Method 1 (my one hour panic version):
1 - Thinly slice the cucumber. Chop the garlic
2 - Place a layer of cucumber in a dish. Sprinkle the dried herbs, chopped garlic and peppercorns over the cucumber. Sprinkle lots of salt all over the mix.
3 - Repeat this until you've used up all of the cucumber.
4 - Remember to use a lot of salt so that it soaks into the cucumber
5 - Slosh some balsamic vinegar over the cucumber mix. Not too much, just enough to cover the base of the bowl.
6 - Top this up with soda water.
7 - Put a heavy bowl on top to make sure the cucumber is covered in the vinegar/soda water mix.
8 - Leave this to stand for an hour or so and then eat!
Method 2 (Svet's less rushed version)
Use the ingredients as above but use fresh fennel rather than the dried herbs. No balsamic vinegar is needed.
1 - Thinly slice the cucumber. Chop the garlic.
2 - Place a layer of fresh dill, peppercorns and garlic in the dish. Add the cucumber. Then another layer of fresh dill, peppercorns and garlic.
3 - For every litre of fizzy / soda water add at least 4 - 5 tablespoons of salt.
4 - Sprinkle the salt over the mix. Add the water.
5 - Add a heavy bowl on top to keep the mix under the water.
6 - Put on one side over night or at least 24 hours.
7 - Eat!
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| You can slice it a bit thinner than this! |
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