How to Make Fiery Sweet Homemade Pickles

This is an easy recipe that is compatible with almost any dish and will add will add zesty flavor to your meal. It is a family favorite and whenever we go to a potluck meal, it is invariably the dish I am asked to bring. I always end up coming home with an empty container.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 "English" cucumber
• 1 cup Marukan seasoned gourmet rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar or honey
• 1 hot pepper (jalapeno or haberno)
• Mandolin slicer or sharp knife
• Bowl and whisk
• Sealable container

1. 
    
   Get everything together before you start.

   Begin by slicing the English cucumber. You want to use this variety of cucumber because it does not require the skin to be peeled, or seeds to be removed. Cut the slices about 1/8 inch thick. With a mandolin slicer, this will take less than a minute. If using a sharp knife, try to keep the slices as uniform in thickness as possible.

2. 
    
   Sliced cucumber.

   Place the sliced cucumber in the sealable container and place to the side.

3. Slice the hot pepper as thinly as possible and set aside.

4. 
    
   Marukan Seasoned Gourmet rice vinegar is the only vinegar I recommend.

   Prepare the vinaigrette for the cucumbers. Pour one cup of the Marukan vinegar in the bowl. **Please note: I specify this particular brand and flavor of vinegar because I have tried several other brands and can not get the results in flavor that I do with the Marukan Seasoned Gourmet rice vinegar. Look in the Asian foods section of your grocery store** Add the sugar or honey.

5. 
    
   Mix the vinegarette well.

   Whisk the vinegar and sugar/honey together until the sweetener is totally dissolved in the vinegar.

6. Add the hot pepper slices to the vinegar and stir to mix.

7. 
    
   Loks good right now but let it sit for at least four hours.

   Pour the vinegar solution over the cucumber slices in the container and mix briefly.

8. Seal the container and place in the refrigerator for at least four hours (overnight is better).

9. 
    
   Ready to eat and simply delicious!!

   Enjoy this cucumber salad with your meal or as a snack between meals. This salad keeps for 3 - 4 days in the refrigerator.

Tips & Warnings

• Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the Marukan vinegar company.
• This is a good salad to experiment flavors with.
• Try variations such as adding thinly sliced onions, or adding herbs such as fresh basil or cilantro to the vinaigrette.

Resources

• Marukan rice vinegar

[ahickpoet]

on 1/2/2009 I will wait until I have pickling cucumbers next summer, but this sounds like a great recipe.

[bar10dr98]

on 1/2/2009 This sounds fabulous, I can't wait to try this!!