Recipes, Savory — March 21, 2010 18:20 — 0 Comments Print This Recipe 
Early cukes make great summertime pickles
Making dill pickles, part #1
4 quarts or 1 gallon
Ingredients
3-5 lbs, 3-4″ cucumbers
2 Tbs dill seed
1/2 cup sea salt
3-4 dried red peppers
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (5%)
2 cloves of garlic or more to taste
2 Tbs whole mixed pickling spice (optional)
shallots (optional)
8 cups water
Equipment
large crock or wide-mouth glass jar
Preparation:
- remove stems and soft tips of cucumbers.
- layer cucumbers with fresh dill, dried red peppers, garlic cloves and grape leaves if available
- sprinkle in dill seed, black peppercorns
- fill container with water and vinegar
- place heavy jar or weight on top of pickles to keep them submersed
- let sit for 2-3 weeks, checking daily for residue to skim off the top
- when they have the sour and the crunch you desire, remove them and pack in smaller jars and store in refrigerator
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This is not a dry, "do this in this order" kind of book, Katz walks with you on your culinary endevors like your mom or grandma would, telling you stories along the way. And in the process he shows us how to reclaim and restore a part of ourselves that has protected us like the ozone layer protects the earth: the world of microbes in and around us, the protective cloak of the microecology that is meant to be a part of us like our skin. Fermented foods can restore your body's natural balance like no other probiotics and vitamins can. Happy reading, happy fermenting and happy eating!
