Bread & Butter Pickles

Pickling has become a trendy way to preserve the best of the season; beyond the usual cukes, try pickling ramps, rhubarb, carrots, asparagus, green beans… once you see how easy it is, you’ll be hooked.

Ingredients

3 lbs (1.3 kg) small English cucumbers or pickling cucumbers
1 small red pepper, seeded and sliced or chopped
1/2 small purple or sweet white onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup (85 ml) coarse pickling salt
3 cups (570 ml) sugar
4 cups (1 L) apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) pickling spices and/or sprigs of fresh dill

Directions

Thickly slice your cucumbers on a slight diagonal, or cut them lengthwise into quarters. Put them in a large bowl with the red pepper and onion, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and let stand for an hour; rinse and drain off as much liquid as you can.

Bring the sugar and vinegar to a boil in a large saucepan and divide the cucumbers into jars.

Sprinkle 1 tbsp pickling spice over each jar and if you like, tuck in a sprig of fresh dill. Fill with the hot brine to within 1/2-inch of the rim; wipe it clean and seal.

Store them in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Makes about four 500-ml jars.

Per serving (each jar serves 8):

13 calories, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.9 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g protein, 0.4 g fibre.