Pickled cucumber

Our recipe this month is inspired by the good supply of smooth-skinned passandra cucumbers coming through from on-site mental health charity, Growing Well. Pickling them with Willy’s apple cider vinegar is a simple way to introduce probiotic, live food benefits – there’s growing evidence that pickled and fermented foods are excellent for gut health.

But the real attraction of this recipe is its versatility. The resulting pickle can contribute to delicious dishes throughout the week – combine with mackerel and horseradish cream in a cerviche, serve alongside sesame salmon, or stir through taramasalata and slather on a slice of toasted sourdough.

Ingredients

• 120ml Willy’s organic apple cider vinegar
• 40ml water
• 1 Growing Well passandra cucumber
• 2 garlic cloves
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp Low Sizergh honey
• 1/2 fresh red chilli
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 preserving jar

 

Method

Heat the vinegar, salt and honey over a medium heat until the honey has dissolved.

Meanwhile, slice the cucumber in half to shorten and then slice lengthways to the thickness of a pound coin.

De-seed and thinly slice the chilli lengthways and garlic cloves.

Add the cucumber, chilli and garlic along with the mustard seeds to a pre-sterilised jar.

Add the vinegar liquid to cover the cucumber sticks (add extra vinegar if needed).

Cool before storing in the fridge. The pickle should keep for about a week.

*recipe from Willy’s Organic