Magic Pickles

Makes 2 one-quart jars

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Ingredients

1 pound mini seedless cucumbers (about 7-8), trimmed and quartered lengthwise into spears
6 to 10 dill sprigs
¼ cup apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoons whole peppercorns
2 teaspoons kosher salt

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Recipe by Yewande Komolafe

Reprinted from Waffles + Mochi: The Cookbook. Available everywhere books are sold November 2021.

A sharp bite and a quick snap—a great pickle is the ultimate rush!

This recipe offers endless possibilities for switching things up. Sub in your favorite vegetables and any herbs and spices you have on hand and the recipe is guaranteed to work here. Your (pickle) pick!

Once you add the ingredients to the jar, you just wait for the magic to happen. You’ll start to see little bubbles in your jar, and you’ll know that fermentation is working—the cucumbers are turning into pickles! This transformation should happen within 3 to 7 days.

Directions

Gather 2 one-quart jars with lids and rings and clean them with warm soapy water. Rinse well and allow them to dry completely.

Divide the dill, coriander seeds, and whole peppercorns evenly into the clean jars. Pack the cucumbers into the jars snuggly, making sure they fit tightly in each jar.

Make the brine: In a large bowl or a liquid measure cup, combine the vinegar, salt, and 1½ cups of water. Stir until the salt dissolves completely.

Why do we pickle? Traditionally, humans have pickled fresh food to preserve it without having to refrigerate it. These days we pickle to not only “save the season,” but also to add flavor. Fermentation makes our food tasty!

Once the salt is dissolved, pour the liquid into each jar, completely immersing the vegetables. Cover the jars tightly with the lids.

Allow the jars to sit at room temperature until you begin to see little bubbles form at the top of the liquid. This is fermentation! By day 3 you should have crisp, half-sour pickles, but the longer you allow your pickles to ferment, the more sour they will become. By day 7 you’ll have the sourest pickles.

And now it’s…

Leftovers? Lucky you!

Jarred pickles will last, unopened for 6 months. Store in a cool, dry place such as a cupboard or pantry. But once the jar is open, you should move them to the refrigerator, where you can store them for up to 1 month. Use only clean utensils in the jar when serving so you don’t contaminate the jars.

MEE MOOOOO!

You completed Magic Pickles.

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