a pinch of salt
a pinch of salt
a_pinch_of_salt_

Recipe #1

Pickled Cucumbers

Beginning with my all-time favorite snack from childhood, a very simple, healthy and delightful one-pickled cucumbers. A tongue-tingling mix of sweet, salty, sour and crispy. 

All you need is fresh pickling cucumbers, garlic, dill, bay leaves, pepper corns and coriander seeds and salt for the brine. And grape leaves (or oak leaves) for the base and top, if you find some. The tannins in the leaves will keep the cucumbers crispy and crunchy. 

Using a balanced ratio of salt in fermentation encourages the growth of healthy bacteria. You’ll need a little more salt for cucumbers—a 3–5 % brine, instead of the usual 2 %, otherwise they go too soft. I always measure the salt with a scale to be more precise, since different types of salt on a tablespoon can also have different weights on a scale.

When vegetables are lacto-fermented the bacteria consume sugar and generate lactic acid that will sour the vegetables and preserve them at the same time. These processes will be explained further but if you want to dive in deeper right away I dearly recommend to have a look at the listed resources and the work of David Zilber, Sandor Katz and Kirsten K. Shokey.

a_pinch_of_salt_
a_pinch_of_salt_

INGREDIENTS

1 kg cucumbers

1 liter water

50 g non–iodized salt, unrefined sea salt

3 fresh dill flowers

2 garlic cloves (you can add one more if you like)

A pinch of black peppercorns

A few bay leaves, around 4–5

Grape leaves (or other leaves with tannins), 2–3 should be enough per (1 liter) jar, for the bottom and top, they will keep your cucumbers crispy and crunchy


Optional:

2 teaspoons coriander, dill or mustard seeds (toasted)

Tarragon (good when making cornichons) 

PREPARATION

1. Rinse the cucumbers and carefully remove the ends with a knife.

2. Collect your spices and roast the seeds.

3. Now you can layer everything, start with the grape leaves and then carefully pile the cucumbers and spices in a clean jar.

4. Carefully measure the salt and water ratio to create the salt brine. Then pour it over the cucumbers.

5. The cucumbers should be completely covered with the brine. A fermentation weight can help. If the cucumbers are not fully covered with liquid they can develop mold. Remove it carefully if you find some in the next days.

6. Let the cucumbers rest at room temperature for about seven days, making sure they are not in direct sunlight. Then transfer them to a cool place, either in the fridge or basement for at least another 5 days until you can enjoy them right away (or they might need a few days longer to ferment) or save them for the upcoming winter.

Note
You can let the cucumbers sit in cold water for a couple of hours prior to pickling in case they are not freshly picked.

“Fermentation is definitely a commitment. By definition it requires seeing something through. It's being responsible for life and watching it grow. It's a slow and patient process.”

— David Zilber

a_pinch_of_salt_
a_pinch_of_salt_

Recipe #1

Pickled Cucumbers

Beginning with my all-time favorite snack from childhood, a very simple, healthy and delightful one-pickled cucumbers. A tongue-tingling mix of sweet, salty, sour and crispy. 

All you need is fresh pickling cucumbers, garlic, dill, bay leaves, pepper corns and coriander seeds and salt for the brine. And grape leaves (or oak leaves) for the base and top, if you find some. The tannins in the leaves will keep the cucumbers crispy and crunchy. 

Using a balanced ratio of salt in fermentation encourages the growth of healthy bacteria. You’ll need a little more salt for cucumbers—a 3–5 % brine, instead of the usual 2 %, otherwise they go too soft. I always measure the salt with a scale to be more precise, since different types of salt on a tablespoon can also have different weights on a scale.

When vegetables are lacto-fermented the bacteria consume sugar and generate lactic acid that will sour the vegetables and preserve them at the same time. These processes will be explained further but if you want to dive in deeper right away I dearly recommend to have a look at the listed resources and the work of David Zilber, Sandor Katz and Kirsten K. Shokey.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg cucumbers

1 liter water

50 g non–iodized salt, unrefined sea salt

3 fresh dill flowers

2 garlic cloves (you can add one more if you like)

A pinch of black peppercorns

A few bay leaves, around 4–5

Grape leaves (or other leaves with tannins), 2–3 should be enough per (1 liter) jar, for the bottom and top, they will keep your cucumbers crispy and crunchy


Optional:

2 teaspoons coriander, dill or mustard seeds (toasted)

Tarragon (good when making cornichons) 

PREPARATION

1. Rinse the cucumbers and carefully remove the ends with a knife.

2. Collect your spices and roast the seeds.

3. Now you can layer everything, start with the grape leaves and then carefully pile the cucumbers and spices in a clean jar.

4. Carefully measure the salt and water ratio to create the salt brine. Then pour it over the cucumbers.

5. The cucumbers should be completely covered with the brine. A fermentation weight can help. If the cucumbers are not fully covered with liquid they can develop mold. Remove it carefully if you find some in the next days.

6. Let the cucumbers rest at room temperature for about seven days, making sure they are not in direct sunlight. Then transfer them to a cool place, either in the fridge or basement for at least another 5 days until you can enjoy them right away (or they might need a few days longer to ferment) or save them for the upcoming winter.

Note
You can let the cucumbers sit in cold water for a couple of hours prior to pickling in case they are not freshly picked.

“Fermentation is definitely a commitment. By definition it requires seeing something through. It's being responsible for life and watching it grow. It's a slow and patient process.”

— David Zilber

a_pinch_of_salt_