BREAD & BUTTER PICKLES

• 900g cucumbers cut into 5mm slices
• 350g onions, sliced very thinly
• 50g salt
• 350ml cider vinegar
• 350g sugar (can easily be reduced)
• 2T mustard seed
• 2t celery seed
• 1/4 t turmeric
• 1/4t cayenne pepper

Put the sliced cucumbers with the onions and salt in a large bowl. Mix together well and allow to stand for 3 hours. Drain and rinse well under cold water and drain again.

Bring all the other ingredients to the boil in a large pan and then add the cucumbers and onions. Reduce the heat and bring to just a simmer, cooking for two minutes. Do not allow it to boil or the finished pickles will be too limp. Pour the cucumbers into hot, sterilised jars and cover with the liquid, spices and onions before sealing.

This is the most scrumptiously delicious pickle, and it is super easy to make. Only problem is, it doesn’t last long!

I have made it with cucumbers as well as cucamelons. I have also tweaked the recipe here and there when I have not had all the ingredients.

Switches I have made:

• Fresh chilli instead of cayenne pepper
• Caraway instead of celery seed (even scrapped it completely)
• Half homemade kombucha vinegar plus half apple cider vinegar
• red or brown onions
• cucumelons instead of cucumbers
• sometimes I reduce the sugar too
• I have also used less onion when I didn’t have enough
• I have never bothered with leaving them to stand in the salt, I just used straight away.

I have included the picture of the original recipe, not sure what book it originally came from. It was from an old friend in England.

Enjoy!