Where are those Pickles for My Dorito and Cheese Sandwich?

Forever I have seen those mini cucumbers for sale and wondered what people did with them. I was obviously drawn to them because I am a short human and these are short cucumbers…fate. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them. I wanted some crisp Jewish pickles from the streets of NY or table at Katz’s Delicatessen. I wanted the ba-tampte half sour pickles I grew up putting on my Doritos and cheese sandwiches. 

My Dad kept these a staple in our childhood fridge.

Living in the almost sticks of VT, jews don’t exist, and so rarely do our delicious and sometimes creepy products....except for Manischewitz wine....it is everywhere! For 6 years I have been limited to dill or bread and butter or creepily sandwhich stack pickles.  I longed for the crisp, green, garlicky delight of a half sour pickle. Watching Jersey Shore on Thursday and seeing Snookie walk in and immediately ask if the guys bought pickles was clearly a sign that I needed to make some damn jew pickles...and clearly get cable so I could enjoy more Jersey Shore. After researching various recipes, particularly Tommy J’s ,and ingredients on the ba-tampte label, I did pickle making, all of which took 15 minutes from start to finish. I am left with a 2 day wait of fermentation and then the tasty oasis of half sour will fill my inner soul. The best part of half sour pickles is you need no fancy heated canning supplies, just a jar and a cool dark space. Make sure you are using clean supplies and tools so as not to get any bacteria growths in your pickle jar, if things look funked in a day or more, throw out immediately

Ingredients:

1/4 tsp coriander seed

1/4 tsp mustard seed

1 allspice mini marble

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ black pepper seed

1 bay leaf broken into pieces

3 sprigs of fresh dill

5 pieces garlic chopped roughly

2 1/4c. Water

A little more than 1/8 cup of pickling salt (Don’t use table salt, it has iodine in it)

4 small (pickling) cucumbers

1-quart jar

Directions:

Wash cucumbers with cold water, dry, cut off any stems and place in jar.

Put all spices in a bowl (mortar) except the dill, garlic, and bay leaf.

Crush all spices slightly to release the flavors (pestle)

Peel and cut garlic roughly into chunks

Pour crushed spices, remaining spices and garlic into the jar.

Combine salt and water and stir until the salt completely dissolves.

Pour salt water into mix (make sure the cucs are completely covered)

Put lid on the jar but DO NOT tighten it. This will allow for fermentation and gasses to be released.

Put jar in a large Tupperware to catch any liquid that drips out.

Leave in a cool dark place for 48-72 hours.

Close top of jar tightly and refrigerate.

Once cool…enjoy a crisp pickle. These babies last anywhere from weeks to months in the fridge depending on your crisp preference. 

Late Night Delight

Cut up a pickle, place on white bread with mayo, american orange cheese and a layer of orange doritos. Put another piece of white bread on top, smash together and enjoy. Clearly the recipe of complete sophistication. Watch how you leave completely natural orange finger prints all over your white bread...then play CSI!