Brew up a batch of sweet and tangy pickles
The kids are heading back to school, the evening air is crisp, and the three-day weekend that signifies the unofficial end of the season is here. If you want to capture summer in a jar like kids do with lightning bugs, pickle those cukes that are flourishing in your garden.
These sweet and tangy bread-and-butter pickles are perfect to munch on by themselves at this weekend’s cookout, but they also add a sugary and acidic bite on top of savory burgers, and can be minced to make a homemade relish for grilled hot dogs. 1 lb. small pickling cucumbers, also called Kirby cucumbers A white onion
2 T. kosher salt 4 c. ice cubes E c. cider vinegar D c. distilled white vinegar
1 c. granulated sugar
E c. water
2 t. yellow mustard seeds A t. turmeric D t. celery seeds D t. ground coriander J t. ground cloves Slice the cucumbers and onions into J-inch-thick to D-inch-thick slices, depending on your preference, and place them in a medium strainer, set over a similarly sized bowl. Sprinkle the vegetables with the kosher salt, toss to combine, and then cover the vegetables with the ice cubes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The ice keeps the vegetables cold and crunchy while also serving as a weight to help push out excess moisture so it can be replaced by a sweet and tangy pickling liquid.
Remove the ice and rinse the vegetables with cool water to remove excess salt. Firmly press the vegetables against the strainer to once again remove excess moisture.
In a medium pot, combine the cider vinegar, white vinegar, sugar, water, yellow mustard seeds, turmeric, celery seeds, ground coriander and ground cloves. Bring this mixture to a boil over high heat. Carefully add the vegetables to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil once again. Immediately remove the pot from the heat.
Transfer the pickles to jars, taking care to evenly distribute the liquid and spices among each. Let the pickles cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least one day before eating.
Pickles can be refrigerated for up to two months.