It’s a bitterly cold Saturday morning here in Maryland. The coffee’s brewing and a fire’s blazing away. I need a little taste of Summer...how about you? Homemade pickles hit the spot, I think. These are the refrigerator kind; they’re fast, easy, and don’t require special jars. In the photo below you’ll see that I used quart-sized Balls, with bands and lids, but any jar with a tight-fitting lid will work. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Refrigerator Spicy Garlic Dills
All measurements are per quart jar. When making big batches, I work assembly-line style. And please don’t fret if your jar isn’t exactly a quart. It doesn’t exactly matter, really and truly. Let’s go.
1 quart jar with a lid
3-4 pickling cucumbers, also called Kirby cukes. With nary a Kirby to be found here now, I went with mini cucumbers. The skin is a little thicker, but the flavor is nice and, MAN, do they stay crunchy. You’ll need 3-4 cukes per quart jar and from there you can pack them halved or speared.
2 TBS non-iodized Kosher salt. Iodine will discolor the brine and leave an aftertaste, so stay away from it. A more coarse grind works best.
White vinegar, 5 TBS.
Fresh garlic, peeled and smashed. I use 4-5 cloves.
Fresh dill, 5-6 sprigs.
Whole black peppercorns, about 2 tsp.
Crushed red pepper flakes, about 1 tsp. Omit if what you’re going for is a straight up garlic dill. I like (and make) both.
Distilled or purified water. Very important. Don’t invite a cloudy brine to your pickle party.
From this point it’s just a matter of packing the cukes and spices into the jar and adding water to almost the top. Cover, shake to mix, and let the jar stand at room temp for 24 hours, giving it an occasional turn-and-shake. Top off with water to the brim, tighten the lid, and refrigerate. Your pickles will be ready to eat after 24 hours in the chill, but for best flavor leave them alone for 3-4 days.
The pickles will keep for, well...I don’t know how long because I haven’t a need to know. Heh. They’re that good.
Summer in a jar.
Next, I want to share a recipe for spicy corn dip. I’m a yuge fan of dips and crunchies, and the flavors in this one remind me of Summer. Nice change from the more popular party dips, too. From www.thechicsite.com
Spicy Corn Dip
2 TBS butter
1 yellow onion, chopped.
5 cloves garlic, minced.
Spicy corn dip, hot from the oven.
1 red bell pepper, chopped.
3 cups corn, fresh or frozen
Shredded pepper jack and sharp cheddar cheese, 2 cups each.
1-½ cups cream cheese, a block-and-a-half. Softened at room temp.
1-½ cups mayo.
½ cup chopped cilantro.
4-5 scallions, chopped.
2 TBS chipotle in adobo puree. I mash it into a paste. You can also substitute any chipotle flavored hot sauce.
Additional hot sauce, 1-2 TBS, of you’d like. I do like.
S&P
In a big bowl, mix together the cheeses, the mayo, and all the other ingredients listed below them. Set aside.
Saute the onions and peppers, add garlic and corn, and cook until everything begins to soften just a bit.
Combine everything, stir well, and spread into a 13 x 9 baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins, until brown and bubbly. Optional: while still hot, squeeze the juice of half a lemon or lime over the top.
I gotta say, this dip is fantastic with tortilla chips, all kinds of veggies, and best of all...FRITOS SCOOPS!
What’s coming out of your kitchen tonight? Happy cooking.