These pickles have just the right balance of sweet and sour!
fresh dill on the left, dried dill on the right
You’ll need4 fresh twigs of dill (or a teaspoon of dried dill)
1 heaped tsp yellow mustard seed
½ tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp coriander seeds
4 small bay leaves
250 g sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
250 ml white wine vinegar
250 ml water4 sterilised jars (holding about 400 ml each)
1. Cut the cucumbers into 1 cm thick
slices.2. Put mustard, pepper, coriander, bay
leaf sugar, salt, vinegar and water into a pan. You’ll still need room for the
gherkin slices, so use a pot that will hold it all. Bring to a boil and let
simmer for about 4 minutes.
2. Add the sliced cucumbers and let simmer for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add a twig of dill (or ¼ tsp of dried dill) to each jar and distribute the cucumber slices over the four jars (I use a tea strainer, the sieve kind, to get them out of the liquid).
4. Put a bay leaf in each jar and top off with the liquid. Don’t worry about the spices, they usually distribute themselves (but if you want you can help a little with a spoon).
5. Screw the lids on tight while still hot. Set aside upside down for 5 minutes, then turn back on their feet and let cool.
2. Add the sliced cucumbers and let simmer for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add a twig of dill (or ¼ tsp of dried dill) to each jar and distribute the cucumber slices over the four jars (I use a tea strainer, the sieve kind, to get them out of the liquid).
4. Put a bay leaf in each jar and top off with the liquid. Don’t worry about the spices, they usually distribute themselves (but if you want you can help a little with a spoon).
5. Screw the lids on tight while still hot. Set aside upside down for 5 minutes, then turn back on their feet and let cool.
Unopened these should last at least a year in a dark cupboard. Keep them in the fridge once opened.