Preserving cucumbers for a long time and for the winter is very easy, and it takes just a few steps to enjoy them all year round. Sweet and sour cucumber preserve is ideal for accompanying cheeses, fish, or roasted or grilled meat dishes; or to create tasty appetizers, bruschetta, sandwiches, tartines, and we can also serve them as a side dish. It’s a very, very easy recipe, and with a few simple tricks, we will prepare fantastic cucumber preserves, delicious, spicy, and we can enjoy them even when they are out of season. The original recipe for sweet and sour cucumbers is found in an old issue of the magazine “Cucinare bene.” I’ve made some small changes regarding the spices, dictated by our tastes.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 3 Hours
- Cooking time: 5 Minutes
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs Cucumbers
- 1 l Apple cider vinegar
- 1 l Water
- 6.35 oz Sugar
- 0.7 oz Coarse salt
- 1 tsp Ground turmeric
- 0.35 oz Coriander seeds
- 10 leaves Fresh mint
- 1 Onion
- to taste Oregano
- to taste Pepper
Preparation
1) Wash the cucumbers (for optimal results, it’s essential that they are very fresh, firm), trim the ends and slice them about 0.28 inches thick; this way, the sweet and sour cucumbers will remain crunchy and firm over time.
2) Thinly slice the onion. Put both the sliced onion and cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle them with 0.35 oz of coarse salt and let them drain the excess vegetable liquid for at least 2 hours.
3) After two hours, put the water, vinegar, the remaining 0.35 oz of coarse salt, sugar, and spices in a large pot. Bring to a boil and let it boil, on low heat and covered, for 10 minutes.
4) While the syrup is boiling, rinse the sliced cucumbers and onions to remove the excess salt, let them drain for 10 minutes, then add them to the syrup. Cook them for exactly 3 minutes, covered and keeping the heat low.
5) Fill the jars first with the cucumbers and onions (using a slotted spoon) and then with the cooking liquid and spices, leaving about 0.39 inches from the top edge. The liquid should completely cover the cucumbers.
6) Seal tightly and complete the sterilization by placing the jars (individually wrapped in kitchen towels to prevent them from breaking during boiling) in already boiling water. Bring to a boil and let sterilize for 30 minutes.
7) After 30 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water without touching them, until they can be handled. Finally, place them upside down on a cutting board and let them cool completely. They should rest for at least 15 days to allow the cucumbers to absorb the aromas and flavors of the spices.
Additional idea. We can also use small-sized cucumbers. In this case, leave them whole and cook for only 2 minutes.
