Spicy Pickles Recipe

From VEGETABLES: The Ultimate Cookbook by Laura Sorkin

Cider Hill Press

Yield: 12 Cups/ Active Time: 20 minutes/Total Time: 5 to 8 hours

This is the perfect recipe to have on hand when cucumbers show up in the spring. With a little preparation, you can make sure you have enough of these delicious pickles to last all year.

Ingredients:

3 lbs pickling cucumbers, sliced thin

3 small yellow onions, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin

2 habanaro peppers, temmed, seeded, and sliced thin

3 garlic cloves, sliced

3 cups sugar

3 cups apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons mustard seeds

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/3 cup cannning and pickling salt

1. Place the cucumers, onions, peppers, and garlic in a large bowl. Bring water to a boil in a canning pot.

2. Place the sugar, vinegar, mustard seedds, turmeric, and peppercorns in a large pot and bring to a boili over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

3. Add the vegetables and the salt and return to a boil. Remove the pot from heat and let it cool slightly.

4. Fill sterilized mason jars with the vegetables and cover with the brine. Place the lids on the jars and secure th ebands tightly. Place the jards in the boiling water for 40 minutes.

5. Use the tongs to remove the jars from the boiling water and let them cool. As they are cooling, you should hear the classic "ping and pop" sound of the lids creating a seal.

6. After 4 to 6 hours, check the lids. There should be no give in them, and they should be suctioned onto thejars. Discard any lids and food that did not seal properly. The pickles will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.