If you think of making pickles as a long, complicated process, you’ll be surprised by how quickly and easily you can make “quick pickles,” which don’t keep as long as the old-fashioned variety (you’ll want to eat them within about a week), but also don’t require any special equipment to make. Kirby cucumbers are the most common for pickling as they tend to retain their crunch. You can use this same brine to pickle other vegetables such as blanched cauliflower, carrots, beets or green beans.
Quick Dill Pickles
3/4 lb. (375 g) Kirby or English cucumbers, cut on the diagonal into 1⁄4-inch (6-mm) slices
1/4 cup (1⁄3 oz./10 g) loosely packed dill leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) distilled white vinegar
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
Place the cucumber slices and dill into a heatproof nonreactive bowl.
In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt and mustard seeds to a low boil. Cook, stirring, until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour the mixture over the cucumber slices and stir to combine. Let sit at room temperature until the liquid cools completely. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Makes about 2 cups (10 oz./300 g).
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