This recipe works equally well with trimmed asparagus spears and can be scaled up if you have a bumper harvest.
Prep time 30 mins + cooling
Cook time 5 mins
Makes 1 large or 2 medium jars
Ingredients
- 1kg baby cucumbers or gherkins
- 2 tsp celery seeds
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 4 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
Method
- If using medium cucumbers, cut them in half, then lengthwise into 6-8 wedges, discarding the seeds. Halve small lebanese cucumbers or large gherkins lengthwise and leave medium and small gherkins whole. Place in a large pot, cover with boiling water and allow to stand until water is cold. Drain well, then repeat twice (this removes bitterness and semi-cooks them so they can be stored without spoilage). When cool, drain thoroughly and pack into 1 or 2 sterilised jars. Sprinkle celery and mustard seeds into jar or jars.
- Heat vinegar, sugar and salt in a pot, stirring to dissolve sugar, then boil for 2 minutes. Pour over cucumbers, overflowing the liquid from the jars. Wipe rims to remove any seeds before sealing with sterilised screw-top lids. Store in a cool cupboard for at least 3-4 weeks before using. Don’t panic if they shrivel a bit – they will plump back up and keep for months. Once opened, store in the fridge.
This recipe is from new TV series Annabel Langbein The Free Range Cook: Through the Seasons. For more great Annabel Langbein recipes see annabel-langbein.com [1]