Quick Cucumber Pickles

Name: Quick Cucumber Pickles
Yield: makes about 1 pint
Ingredients: 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar; 1/2 cup water; Zest and juice of 1 lemon; 3 or 4 sprigs fresh dill; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 1-inch piece julienned fresh ginger; 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes; 3 or 4 Kirby or other small cucumbers (about 1/2 pound), partially peeled to create a striped pattern and sliced into thin rounds; 1 thin slice red onion

December 14, 2011

Many Southerners keep a steady supply of no-fuss cucumber pickles like these in the fridge all through the summer. They’re great because you don’t even have to turn on the stove: just toss everything together, let it all marinate for a few hours, and you’re good to go. Mild and crunchy, they are sort of a cross between cucumber salad and dill pickles, meaning they’re perfect scattered over a simple green salad with Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing (page 284), layered in Pimiento Cheese Burgers (page 187) or Pickled Jalapeño Meatloaf (page 191) sandwiches, or placed in a little dish and added to a relish tray.

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