Quick-Pickle Pressed Cucumbers

[jesse_the_k]

It's another raw recipe! I refined this from many web searches. Some mentioned a 15% vinegar (three times as sour as standard US) which is why I added the sour salt (on hand for hot and sour soup).

Ingredients

1 English cucumber
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs
2 Tbsp white sugar
4 Tbsp white vinegar
1/8 tsp sour salt (citric acid)
1 Tbs (to taste) kosher salt

10 minutes prep / 30 minutes to develop flavor

Serves 6 as a side

Tools

• small bowl
• two identical shallow dishes (I use rectangular serving platters with a low lip)
• very sharp knife, cheese slicer, or mandolin

Method

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, citric acid.

Peel cucumber. Slice cucumber circles as thin as you can. Even thinner than that.

Distribute the sliced cucumbers in the shallow dish, aiming for a uniform thickness. Pour the vinegar solution over the cucumbers. Put the second shallow bowl over the first. Add weight on top — I’ve used my knife block. A couple bottles of water would also work.

Let the cucumbers sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile mince the herbs. I use flat Italian parsley; dill, basil, mint or cilantro would probably be great. The key is freshness!

At minute 30, remove weight and top dish. sprinkle the herbs over the cucumber and stir to combine.

You can serve it at the next meal, or transfer the cucumbers and liquid to a glass jar in the fridge until ready to eat.

Comments

[nerakrose]

sorry this is not about your recipe, but: today I learned that the American and European cucumbers are different??? I also now understand why sometimes American recipes call for cucumber to be peeled and de-seeded (something I always felt was unnecessary) - they were literally talking about an entirely different kind of cucumber...!

pro-tip though, when buying European cucumbers go for the thinnest ones. a fat European cucumber has been left on the vine too long and will be watery, tasteless and full of seeds.

GIP

[jesse_the_k]

Although I've loved eating cucumbers for at least 62 years, I didn't learn about English/European cucumbers until three years ago.

When it comes to tzatziki, seeding US cukes is mandatory: they're so juicy it would turn the sauce into a drink.

The poly film wrapped cucumbers at our markets are never more than 30mm across.