Everyone knows that tomatoes from the garden taste the best. They are warm, sweet and taste like sunshine on a plate. Nothing you can buy in the grocery store can come close to tomatoes you grow yourself.
This year, we are growing cucumbers for the first time, and I have discovered that the same is true of them. Usually, I can take or leave cucumbers. But the cucumbers from our garden actually have flavor. They are cool, crisp and herbaceous, great with just a touch of salt or lightly pickled. After eating my own homegrown cucumbers, I think I’ll have to give up supermarket cukes altogether.
My favorite way to prepare cucumbers is to marinate the slices in vinegar and seasonings. I keep a bowl of these “pickles” in the fridge and snack on them guilt-free before dinner or throw them into salads. This isn’t a recipe so much as a set of guidelines. Feel free to experiment.
Lightly Pickled Cucumbers
Peel and slice the cucumbers. For 1 lb. of cucumber slices, combine 2 cups water and 1 cup white wine vinegar. Add 1 tbsp. coarse salt plus fresh dill, hot red pepper flakes and sliced garlic, as desired. Let the cucumbers marinate at least 1 hour. Keeps up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
If I have too many cucumbers to eat fresh, I plan to make freezer pickles. Here’s a recipe from Sidewalk Shoes.
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How do you freeze cucumbers??? I’d love to try, next year I’m going to experiment & grow cucumbers in a pot of some sort, I’ve grown jalepeno’s this year, tomatoes, basil, bought rosemary, recieved lemon balm & chocolate mint recently, tried growing cone flowers, snap dragons, & a few others, but only have 1 successful snap dragon. I bought a fern & have a mother in law’s tounge too, next year I’m going to start earlier & plan better. I’m going to try & make a cold box above ground to grow some short herbs through-out winter, & the cold months. Would you email me your directions for freezing the cucumbers? Thanks!! Monica
Monica- I would try the link I posted in the article on making freezer pickles.
I see the link now, thanks for responding with the reminder
Do you know anything about making essential and infused oils? Thats my next summer project for 2011.
I have made infused oils with garlic and herbs with a lot of success. They are not difficult to make and add a lot of flavor to vinaigrettes, mayonnaise, etc. Here’s the garlic method, which I got from Ad Hoc at Home: http://simplycooking.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/how-to-make-and-use-garlic-confit/