Quick cucumber pickle

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!

Election thoughts

One thing is for sure, we will need sustenance to get through this. Maybe time to make a bowl of these spiced nuts….

…any other ideas for election night comfort food out there?   I am not baking bread until I know who has won… Might just spend the night on Hornby Island instead. Celia and I met up there late last night.  Thanks Celia!  The surprising places you find your friends :)