These are too good to not throw in one final “from the fall garden” Friday Feast this year, even though for many of our friends back home in the North country, cucumbers got stung by the snowfall and first whiff of freezing temps that rumbled through a few weeks ago.
We’ve been putting up various fermented dills as part of our fall pickling routine for years now, and pickle aficionados will argue that there’s nothing like an old-school, pucker-your-lips, fermented, sour dill pickle painstakingly canned and processed.
While I wouldn’t argue that fact, after an early August conversation with our friend Chef Libby in Austin, during which (among other things) she extolled the virtues of quick pickles, we’ve been quick pickling all sorts of stuff of late (including these quick bread and butter pickles from a few weeks back).
These quick dills have surprised everybody we’ve shared them with, in that they’re packed with great dill flavor (get really fresh dill frond and seeds), pleasingly acidic (the sour that makes you pucker) without being too much so, and crunchier than fermented dills (without using alum as a cheat too).
Personally I think they’re far better with a bit of heat from the addition of several good peppers (long and skinny chile de arbol peppers work particularly well), though they’re good without the extra punch.
Ten minutes of effort here will make you look like a genius this next week.
1 lb pickling cucumbers, trimmed, sliced lengthwise into quarters
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 C fresh dill fronds and stems, washed
1 C filtered water
1/2 C white vinegar
2 T pickling or kosher salt
1 tsp (generous) fresh dill seeds
1 tsp (generous) coriander seeds
Optional: Hot peppers of your choice
Heat the water, vinegar, and salt, stirring until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat to cool.
Scrub, trim, and slice the cucumbers; prep the garlic and peppers if using.
Pack a quart jar with the dill fronds and stems, garlic, then the cucumbers and peppers.
Sprinkle the dill and coriander seeds into the jar, then pour the cooled liquid over to within 1/4 of the top. Cover, leave out at room temperature for 3-4 hours, then throw in the fridge.
They’re decent by the next day, getting better for 7-10 days.
Enjoy.
