Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg cucumber, sliced very thinly, using a mandolin if possible
- 700 g onions, halved and sliced very thinly, using a mandolin if possible
- 80 g sea salt
- 500 ml cider vinegar
- 350 g granulated sugar
- 4 tsp mustard seeds
- a few whole cloves
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
Method
1. Layer the cucumber and onion in a colander over a bowl, sprinkling with the sea salt as you go. Weigh them down with a plate and leave for a few hours. Rinse the vegetables well to get rid of the salt and drain off the liquid in a colander.
2. Combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, cloves and turmeric and mix in a pan. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. Add the well-drained cucumber and onion mixture and bring back to the boil for 1 minute. You may need to do this in several batches if you dont have a big preserving pan. Mix well so the spices are evenly distributed and using a slotted spoon, transfer the mixture to sterilised jars, leaving the liquid in the pan.
4. Bring the liquid back to the boil and simmer until slightly reduced for about 15 minutes, then divide it between the 6 cucumber-filled jars, filling them to the brim.
5. Put on the lids and label jars with the contents and date. The cucumbers will be ready to eat after 4-6 weeks.