How To Pickle A Pickle And Make Pickle Pepper

by Hugh Dessereau

The vegetables used in pickling should be fresh. Vegetables fresh from the garden, and in order of their ripening, are prepared and dropped into great crocks of malt-brown vinegar. The preparations often become so rich that only a seal of paper is necessary to preserve them. However, much better to use a sealed jar.

Senf Gurken

The Gherkin is typically a small cucumber type vegetable (cucumber). They are usually picked when 3 to 8 cm (1 to 3 in) in length and pickled or cans with vinegar (often flavored with herbs, particularly dill; hence, ‘dill pickle’) or brine to become a pickled cucumber.

Peel 12 large cucumbers, slice them in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Cut the halves into strips or wedges 1 inch thick and 2 inches long and soak them overnight in a brine made of 1/2 cup pickling salt and 4 1/2 cups cold water.

In the morning drain the cucumbers and put them in a preserving kettle with 6 cups cider vinegar and 3 cups brown sugar. Bring the vinegar to a boil and simmer the cucumbers for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Pack the strips into sterilized pint jars and add to each jar 1 clove of garlic, 2 teaspoons grated horseradish, 1 teaspoon mustard seed, and 1 small hot red pepper. Bring the vinegar syrup to a boil, fill the jars to overflowing, and seal immediately. Makes about 6 pints.

Sweet Pickled Gherkins

Wash 2 quarts gherkins and soak them overnight in brine made of 1/2 cup pickling salt and 2 quarts water. In the morning, drain the gherkins, rinse them in hot water, and drain again.

In a preserving kettle bring to a boil 6 cups brown sugar and 1 quart cider vinegar. Add the gherkins and a spice bag containing 1 tablespoon each of whole allspice and cloves, 1/2 tablespoon celery seed, and 1 stick of cinnamon. Remove the kettle from the heat and cool the gherkins in the pickling syrup. Arrange the pickles compactly in pint or quart jars and to each jar add 1 bay leaf and a few mustard seeds. A small hot red pepper may also be added. Heat the syrup to the boiling point, fill the jars to overflowing with the liquid, and seal

Garlic, the Italians claim, strengthens the sight and brings a sparkle to the eye. It is the center of garlic that gives sparkle to these treasures.

Pickled Stuffed Peppers

Slice a top from the stem end of 24 green peppers and set the tops aside. Discard the seeds and white membranes from the peppers and pack the peppers firmly with 2 quarts finely shredded cabbage mixed with 2 cucumbers, 4 red peppers, and 4 onions, all finely chopped, 1/2 cup grated horseradish, and 1/4 cup each of salt, mustard seed, and celery seed. Press a clove of garlic into the center of each pepper, replace the tops of the peppers. Fasten the tops securely with toothpicks. Pack the stuffed peppers into sterilized 2-quart jars, and fill the jars to overflowing with vinegar. Seal the jars and store the peppers in a cool, dark place for a month or more before using them.

Garlic Dill Pickles

In the bottom of sterilized quart jars put 1 large spray of dill, 1 clove of garlic, and 1 small hot red pepper. Pack washed and dried firm cucumbers in the jars. Fill the jars with a brine made of 7/8 cup salt, 14 cups water, and 1 cup cider vinegar. Top each jar with a spray of dill and a clove of garlic and seal. Store the cucumbers in a dark, cool spot and they will be ready to eat in about 6 weeks.

Mustard Pickles

Prepare the following vegetables and put each in a separate bowl: Wash and chop finely 2 quarts cucumbers. Peel and chop finely 1 quart onions. Stem, seed, and coarsely chop 6 sweet red peppers. Scrub 2 quarts tiny cucumbers, or gherkins. Peel 2 quarts small onions. Cut 2 heads of cauliflower into bite-sized flowerets. Sprinkle each vegetable separately with about 1/4 cup pickling salt, using 1 1/2 cups in all. Cover the gherkins, small onions, and cauliflower with cold water and let all the vegetables stand overnight.

In the morning drain the chopped vegetables in a colander. Drain the whole vegetables and dry them on a towel. Mix all the vegetables in a preserving kettle. Stir in 8 cups sugar and 6 cups cider vinegar and bring the mixture to a boil. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup dry mustard, 3 tablespoons turmeric, and 2 tablespoons powdered celery salt and mix to a paste with 2 cups vinegar. Stir the paste gradually into the vegetables, continue to stir until the sauce is slightly thickened, and turn the mustard pickles into sterilized jars. Makes about 16 pints.

Crisp Bread-and-Butter Pickles

Wash and thinly slice 4 quarts medium-sized firm cucumbers and 8 white onions, peeled. Mix the vegetables with 1/2 cup pickling salt and 2 quarts cracked ice and let them stand, covered with a weighted lid, for 3 hours. Drain the vegetables thoroughly and put them in a large preserving kettle.

Combine 5 cups sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 2 tablespoons mustard seed, and 5 cups cider vinegar. One-half teaspoon ground cloves may be added. Pour the spiced vinegar over the vegetables and bring the mixture slowly to a boil, stirring often with a wooden spoon, but do not let it boil. Pack the pickles into hot sterilized jars and seal at once.

Pickled Onions

Country folk in Italy christened this small onion zmio, because the bulb was all one, instead of the many cloves that form the garlic bulb. In time zmio became the common name for the small white onion. Appropriately enough, zmio is also the name for pearl.

Peel 1 quart small pearl onions, cover them with boiling water, and boil for 2 minutes. Drain the onions and turn them into ice water to cool and crisp. Pack them in sterilized jars with a few thin strips of sweet red pepper in each jar. Bring to a boil 1 pint white vinegar, I tablespoon pickling salt, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 cup water and cool. Fill the jars to overflowing with the pickling liquid and seal.

The origin is East Indian, but the appeal is universal.

Piccalilli

In a preserving kettle combine 1 quart chopped green tomatoes, 2 sweet red peppers, 2 sweet green peppers, 2 large onions, and 1 small head of cabbage, all cleaned and chopped, and 1/2 cup pickling salt and let the mixture stand overnight. In the morning drain the vegetables and press out the juice. Add 3 cups cider vinegar, 2 cups dark brown sugar, and a spice bag containing a 3-inch stick of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon each of cloves, allspice, and white mustard seed. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer gently for about 3 hours, or until the vegetables are clear and thickened. Discard the spice bag; pour the piccalilli into hot sterilized jars, and seal. Makes about 3 pints.