This recipe is a simple mix of vinegar, sugar, water, salt, garlic, and celery seed (inspired by the dressing for Bar Harbor coleslaw), boiled, cooled, and poured over cut cucumbers, thinly sliced onions, and plenty of fresh dill. Because the liquid is cooled before pouring over, the cucumbers will retain their bright color. This means, however, that you should let them sit in your fridge for a few days (at least 3) for the dill and spices to fully infuse their flavor into the pickles. If you are an impatient type, you can pour the hot liquid over the mixture for faster pickles. I had my first experiment with pickling when I made quick pickled jalapenos a few weeks ago. I haven’t the slightest idea how to preserve things by canning (well, I have a slight idea, but that is a project for another time), and the great thing about both of these recipes is that you can make them without canning, as long as you keep them in your refrigerator! Like all things pickled, the high vinegar content makes them stay good for a long period of time, so you can keep them for weeks – even months! – in your refrigerator. Quick question for you: do you own a mandoline? No, not the musical instrument. The kitchen gadget. For cutting cucumbers to make these pickles, it will seriously be your best friend. Best of all, most mandolins come with attachments for julienne-cut and crinkle cut (which is what I used). They are great for making homemade potato chips or shoestring fries, and create uniform slices with minimal effort. The con: it’s a more complicated utensil to clean than a regular ol’ knife. So, I use mine only when I need to slice a lot of uniform pieces at a time. Do not be deterred if you do not own a mandoline, however- just use a regular knife. It will be just as delicious, even if you cannot do crinkle cut :-) Or, you can make these pickle spears rather than slices. Enjoy on burgers, sandwiches, or on their own out of the jar- which is exactly what I am doing right now! Or use them in a homemade tartar sauce. Nom nom nom nom nom…
