Spicy Spicy Dill Pickle Chips. Photo by Liddie Martinez
Video of spicy dill pickle chip preparation. Video by Liddie Martinez
By LIDDIE MARTINEZ
Española Valley
This late in the summer we have cucumbers by the buckets and are actively giving them away to any willing recipient and making pickles by the barrel most weekends. Cucumbers are one of those very giving plants that are prolific in their yield and easy in their manner. You don’t have to be a horticulturalist or a gherkin professional to grow cucumbers in New Mexico and execute a batch of pickles. Be aware that 2-3 plants will yield enough to supply an averaged sized family with enough cucumbers to brighten every salad you will make this summer, slice in water, place on puffy eyes and still have enough to make a few batches of pickles to open up later in the year.
I started my cucumber plants in April planting in small peat eight-packs. This year I had one package of gherkin seeds- the resounding favorite for pickling so, I opened the package shortly after Easter and planted them. There were enough seeds to fill three trays and every last one sprouted and grew aggressively in my greenhouse. When the seedlings were large enough to count three sets of leaves, I transplanted them in 4” pots and gave away half to cousins. I’m sure you all recall the very early heatwave we had this year and while I tried to wait until the heatwave passed to transplant them in the garden, I put them in the week after Mother’s Day because they were bursting out of their pots. Despite the heat, I was harvesting cucumbers in no time!
The first few baskets were eaten before they made it into the house but my picking has been in play for a while now. These have been my favorite this year because of the spicy kick provided by adding a few snipped Chimayo Red Chile Pods. The flavor is fantastic and the heat level is medium and very pleasing in a burger or on hot dogs. I also like to include a small bowl of them as part of a charcuterie board to pair with meats and cheeses and counter balance the sweetness of fruits, nuts and honey.
Remember to take a thin slice off the cucumber from the flowering end before processing as a pickle; it contains enzymes that soften your pickles. Also, do not skip the overnight soak in iced brine. This salty liquid draws out the moisture of the cucumbers so your pickles will be crunchy and I always top with ice cubes to keep them as cold as possible and to keep them submerged in the liquid, otherwise they will float on top. I do not have whole, peeled garlic in this recipe but you may add one or two cloves to each jar if you like garlic. I always vary the flavoring so don’t be afraid to experiment. Just be sure to write down what you have done so that if you find a super flavor combination, you will be able to produce it again.
Day #1
8 cups baby cucumbers
4 cups water
6 Tbsp pickling salt
3-4 cups ice cubes
Wash and slice cucumbers thinly discarding ends. Place slices in a large bowl. In a small pitcher mix water and salt using whisk until salt has dissolved. Pour over cucumber slices to cover then add ice on top. Refrigerate overnight.
Day #2
6-pint jars & lids sterilized submerged in boiling water for 15 minutes
6 cups white vinegar
¼ cup pickling salt
6 teaspoons black peppercorns
6 Red Chile Pods stemmed, seeded, rinsed and snipped
3 tsps. mustard seed
3 tsps. dry or fresh dill
6 tsps. onion, finely chopped
Combine salt & vinegar in saucepan and whisk to dissolve over low heat. Remove from heat when salt has dissolved. In each hot, sterilized jar, add 1 tsp. black pepper corns; 1 snipped chile pod; ½ tsp. mustard seed; ½ tsp. dill and 2 tsp. onion.
Drain refrigerated cucumber slices removing all remaining ice pieces and fill jars to ½ inch headspace. Fill with vinegar mixture to ¼ inch headspace. Cover with lids and seal securely with bands.
Gently place jars back in hot water used to sterilize jars. Note: you may have to remove a ladleful or two of water to fit all jars and keep water from overflowing. Make sure jars are submerged in water with at least 1” of water above the tops and bring to a boil.
Time for 10 full minutes after reaching boiling point. You can reduce the heat but keep the pot boiling.
Remove jars carefully with jar lifter and cool on kitchen towels for 24 hours undisturbed.
Makes 6 pints.