Thought I’d better join in the pickle posts! Celia has been pickling lemons and limes here which look fantastic!
Here is the Waitrose magazine version of a simple danish cucumber pickle. Fast and easy to make, keeps for about five days in the fridge.
When I was little we used to visit my great Aunt Gerda in Denmark and she always had a white cucumber pickle that tasted just like this. I have never seen it in a delicatessen in England, but this taste brings back memories of mosquitos and long grass and a little wooden summer house in the wood. The cucumber becomes magically crunchy when you treat it this way. Good with any fish, particularly smoked fish like trout or eel.
Take a fresh cucumber, give it a good wash. Take a fork and run the tines down the outside of the cucumber. Slice the cucumber thinly. Layer with a tablespoon of Maldon salt. Leave for ten minutes in a colander. Then rinse it well under a cold tap. Mix up golden castor sugar and white wine vinegar and add chopped dill. Proportions depend on how sweet/sour you like your pickle. Start with 70 ml vinegar to 40g g sugar and see how that works for you. Layer the cucumber in a sterilised jar, add the vinegar and sugar mix and chopped dill, give it a good shake and leave for a few hours before you try it.
Sweet sour salty dill – lovely!
Zeb Bakes 
This sounds fabulous. I love sweet and salty together. I’d never really appreciated it before we moved to the States. They really embrace the sweet/salty combination here. And dill always picks up a boring salad.
Jo, I love cucumber pickles! How long do they keep for? Most recipes I’ve seen for pickles call for a hot solution, but I’m not sure how that would work on cucumbers – might cook them a bit and make them soggy? I tried pickling chilli peppers – no idea how they’re going, since they’ve all decided to float in the jar – Pete thinks they might sink after a little while…
Celia, This is a quick pickle that will keep for maybe 5 days. It might keep longer but it would get sourer as time goes on. I would only make a small amount at a time and really there is no need to make more as it is ready so fast! Experiment with using chiles and peppers if that is what you like.
I made this on Saturday..cucumber dice rather than slices because I wanted a bit more crunch. Went for sweet so a bit of extra sugar..all gone and requests fir more do have ordered 3 ‘cumbers with the Internet shopping. It is a bit academic, but how long do you think it would last in the jar, and do you think you should put in the fridge ? Might add some capers next time. Ate it with smoked salmon and a plain egg omelette..lovely mix if sweet (pickle), salty salmon and soft egg..do not know why we don’t have more omelettes..quick, healthy, a bit luxurious …thanks for posting this..recipes from magazines always seem better when someone else has picked them out
I think it would last for 5 – 7 days but wouldn’t be so nice as it got older maybe, at its best 6 – 48 hours after making. Definitely keep in fridge. I think the thing about magazine recipes is that if someone you know has tried them they are more likely to work! Hope B’ham trip goes well and no dust arrives to delay you getting home again :)