GingerGarlic Pickles

Ginger Garlic Pickles

IMAGE: Rick Patrick

6 pounds pickling cucumbers
4 cups rice vinegar
3 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
8 tablespoons minced garlic
8 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
4 habanero or serrano peppers

Trim ends from the cucumbers and quarter into spears. Bring the vinegar, salt and 2 cups of water to a boil in a nonreactive saucepan, such as stainless steel, ceramic, glass or coated metal. Stir to dissolve the salt.
Sterilize four quart-sized jars. Place 2 tablespoons garlic, 2 tablespoons ginger and 1 pepper in the bottom of each hot jar. Pack the cucumber spears in as tightly as possible without crushing. Pour in the boiling brine, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Make sure the cucumbers are submerged in the brine.
Check for air bubbles (tapping jars lightly on countertop can release any trapped air), wipe the rims and seal. Process for 10 minutes. Cool on a rack. The lids should seal down onto the jars.

Servings: About 40. Serving size: 2 pickle spears. Per serving: 13 calories, 0.4 g protein, trace fat, 1.7 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g dietary fiber, 525 mg sodium, 1 g sugars

Cook’s Tip: Because the cucumbers are not peeled, try to use organic (straight from the garden if you have one). Store-bought varieties are often coated in wax. If that’s all you have, you can scrub off the wax in hot water first.

Cook’s Tip: If your tap water is chlorinated or if you have a water softener, using distilled or purified water in the brine will give you better results.