The other day, I was invited to a delicious dinner that included Ice Cream Bucket Pickles. Thank you ladies. I had never heard of them before but I really liked their fresh crispy texture. They are a non processed bread and butter pickle made from fresh cucumbers and onion slices that are allowed to mellow in the fridge. The original recipe goes something like this.
In truth, there is no room in my fridge for a lengthy stay of something the size of an ice cream bucket and I am the only person in this house who likes pickles, so I decided to experiment with something less sweet, slightly spicier, on a little smaller scale. This was the result.
You will need:
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. Kosher or pickling salt
1 tsp. Tumeric
Red Pepper Sauce to taste
1 tsp. Prepared Dijon mustard
1 herb packed frozen ice cube
1/3 red onion sliced
5 small cucumbers
Find your focus with a deep breath in and release. The more you exhale, the more room there is for the next inhale and the more you will relax and come into the present moment. Repeat until you feel centered and ready to begin. Letting go of anything that blocks you from being here now, welcome your compassionate spirits.
Wash and slice the cucumbers in even slices just under 1/4 of an inch.
Peel the red onion and also slice into strips of the same width.
Fill a one quart jar with the vegetables. You can see the frozen ice cube of herbs. melting on top of the cucumbers.
If you missed the post on preserving fresh herbs here is the link. Another option would be to pick, wash and chop any end of season herbs that are easily available. You will need about 2 Tbsp. of mixed herbs.
Mix together all the remaining ingredients, allowing the sugar and salt to dissolve in the vinegar. If that is not happening fast enough for you, don’t worry, the process will continue in the fridge.
I used two – three shots ( not drops ) of the red pepper sauce and liked the finished product but I admit I am a woose when it comes to hot spices in my meals, so you may want to add more. (Update: I have noticed the kick is increasing as days pass. Let the speed at which these are consumed and your palate preferences dictate the amount of heat added.)
Pour the liquid into the jar and twist on the lid until tight. Turn the bottle upside down a couple of times to mix everything up and to get the air bubbles to move to the top.
Place in the fridge and continue to shake twice a day for two days.
That is all there is to it. I tried them today and have gone back to the fridge several times for another piece. I also poured out a small jar to give as a hostess gift tomorrow.
These fresh pickles will last about a month. I liked using smaller cucumbers as it made the bottle easier to fill and the pickles easier to pop into my mouth without cutting first. I might even fill up the left over brine again when these are gone, which will be shortly.
Quick & Easy Summer Pickles from My Kitchen Wand
