This is good way to use up cucumbers during a glut. A jar goes a long way and its tasty contents spice up a plain sandwich and make the perfect accompaniment to many dishes. This recipe is from Riverford's Guy Watson and it's published on their website.
First, I prepare the cucumbers and onions in advance by slicing them thinly (the recipe is based on 5 cucumbers and 1 kg of onions). Then I layer them with 80 g of cooking salt in a bowl and I weight it all down with a heavy plate for several hours, after which I discard the salty liquid, rinse the cucumbers and onions and drain them.
Then, I make a basic pickle by mixing 500 ml of cider vinegar, 350 g of soft brown sugar, 4 tsp of mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp of ground cloves and a heaped 1/2 tsp of turmeric in a saucepan and bringing it to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
I add the well-drained cucumber and onion mix to the hot pickling liquid and bring it all back to the boil for a couple of minutes. Then, using a slotted spoon, I fill sterilised jars with the cucumbers and onions and return the pickling liquid to the boil for about 15 minutes to reduce it. I then pour it on top of the veg in the jars, filling them to the brim.
This will keep for several months. I keep it in the fridge so it is always handy at mealtimes.
