My son Dan introduced me to these amazingly easy-to-make pickles over Thanksgiving last year.
We had joined my brother Edward and his wife Marion (who is responsible for bringing the recipe for those yummy Crockpot Meatballs to this blog – check my archives ~ Dec. 11/13) in Palm Springs for our second annual rendezvous – an easy drive for my sons, living in the LA area, and a reasonable drive for us from Arizona to my brother’s sunny vacation location away from the Canadian cold.
It’s always a grand time because Marion and I enjoy planning and cooking meals together, and everyone else enjoys partaking of what we make. And this time, Dan showed up with this delicious accouterment, which accompanied us throughout our holiday weekend.
We used these pickles as a side with sandwiches, skewered them instead of olives for our martinis, and put heaping bowls of them out as appetizers and condiments with meals.
And, as you will see when you read this recipe (copied exactly as he sent it to me), Dan has inherited my “booke” philosophy about cooking. If he doesn’t have what the original recipe calls for, he makes it up out of his “cupboard residents” … honestly, those are the best words in this blog.
Dan’s Gallon Jar Pickles
With a little less than 1/2 gallon of water add
8 garlic cloves smashed
2 cups of sugar
1/4 cup of pickling spice (I have never found it, so I just make stuff up from cupboard residents)
4 bunches of dill
5 cups of white vinegar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup dill seed (I don’t think I’ve used this before, but it’s probably good in there!)
1 tablespoon of chili flakes
As many veggies that will fit ~ approximately 2 lbs of vegetables
Mix all ingredients and add the vegetables (I’ve used onion, green beans, carrots, Serrano peppers, and of course cucumbers, Persian or Pickling) cold, and then refrigerate for 48 hours.
Reading this recipe just makes me smile. A mother couldn’t be prouder!
It is the perfect time of year to begin making these pickles, as fresh, garden vegetables become plentiful. And, what a great accompaniment for picnics and cookouts!
Thank you, Dan. I loved writing this blog today.
Eat well. Be happy.
Plynn Gutman 