Potent Pickle Preparation

The summer pickling season is just about to hit its traditional Labor Day peak and there’s no easier way to make the crunchy cucumber treat than the cold-pack method.

Since 1955, the Duris family has been selling pickling cucumbers along River Road in Puyallup. The variety they sell, Vlaspik, has the thin skin necessary to allow easy curing.

The cold-pack method, essentially an in-jar assemblage with refrigerator curing, is quick and simple. This method produces a fresh, crisp pickle, said Kim Goetz, a Duris employee. The only drawback: You’ll need to find space in your fridge for the jars.

The method is easy for kids to learn. Girl Scout troops have had pickling parties at the farm, said owner Sondra Andrews, daughter of the founders.

“The kids can feel really proud of the pickles and they can contribute something to Thanksgiving dinner,” Goetz said. A boon to kids (and adults): The pickles can be made outdoors on a picnic table. No running water or heat source is needed.

The pickles, with their red and green contents, make great Christmas gifts, Goetz said. “The person who has everything probably doesn’t have a jar of homemade pickles.”

Step-By-Step

Correction: This recipe originally ran with an incorrect measurement for mustard seed. The recipe called for 2 Tablespoons instead of 2 teaspoons (the correct measurement). The correction has been made to this recipe.

1. To each quart jar add one grape leaf and one coiled dill stalk. The grape leaf is a natural crisping agent and the dill is for flavor. "There's tons of flavors in the stalk," Goetz said.

2. Add one white onion slice. Use yellow if you prefer a stronger onion flavor. Avoid Walla Walla as they become soft. Cut blossom end off of five medium-sized picling cucumbers and add vertically. (The blossom has a softening agent in it.)

3. Add a slice of red pepper against jar wall for visual effect and three peeled garlic cloves (more if you lie garlic.) Add one dried red chili or use fresh jalapeno slices for even more heat. Place peppers against glass as a reminder of spice level.

4. Add 3 teaspoons of additive-free pickling salt (do not use table salt), 2 teaspoons of mustard seed, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns and 1/4 teaspoon alum. (Note: Alum, a crisping agent, isn't used by some picle makers for health concerns.)

5. Add 1/2 cup vinegar. Use white if you prefer a neutral color and flavor. Goetz prefers apple cider vinegar for its complex flavors. Whatever vinegar is used, it must have at least 5 percent acidity.

6. Top off jar with four small cucumbers. Add another onion slice, dill flower and grape leaf. Fill the jar with distilled, well or another form of pure water. Do not use tap water. Make sure all contents are covered with liquid.

Note: These pickles must be stored in the refrigerator before and after opening. Salt levels can be reduced for sodium sensitive individuals.

Tomato Chutney

Yield: 3 pints

Prep time: 30 minutes plus processing time

Cook time: 2 hours

5 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced (peel can stay on)

2 tart apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

2 large onions, sliced

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

2 chopped fresh chilies or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

3 tablespoons mustard seed

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large enamel or stainless steel kettle. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hours, stirring often, until mixture has thickened.

Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space; wipe rims and seal tightly. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes. Cool and check seals. Store in a cool dark place for at least three weeks before using to allow flavors to mellow.

Source: Adapted from “The Classic Vegetable Cookbook” by Ruth Spear (Harper and Row, 1985).

Basic Pasta Sauce

Yield: 1 quart

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled and cored

2/3 cup chopped carrots

2/3 cup chopped celery

2/3 cup chopped onion

Salt to taste

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Chop tomatoes, retaining their juice. Put in a large saucepan. Add carrots, celery, onions and a little salt (about a half teaspoon). Cook uncovered over medium heat at a slow, steady simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Add olive oil, raise the heat slightly to a somewhat stronger simmer, and stir occasionally while reducing the tomatoes to pulp, mashing them with the back of the spoon. Cook for 15 minutes, then adjust seasoning, adding more salt if desired.

Variations: Add 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram or rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or rosemary) in final 5 minutes of simmering.

Source: “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” (Knopf, 1992).

Range Fire Salsa

Yield: 7 pints

Prep time: 45 minutes, plus processing time

Cook time: 2 hours

7-1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled

2-1/3 pounds bell peppers, green and/or yellow

3- 3/4 pounds onions

5 jalapeno chilies (about 3 ounces)

1-1/4 cups cider vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon red chili flakes

1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Core and coarsely chop tomatoes. You should have enough for 3 quarts including juice. Stem, seed and coarsely chop bell peppers (enough for 6 cups). Peel and chop onions (enough for 6 cups). Stem and mince jalapenos (remove seeds if you prefer).

In a large kettle, combine tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, chili flakes, pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, for 1 hour. Keep cooking over medium heat and stirring until reduced by half, up to an hour more.

Fill sterilized jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims and seal tightly. Process jar for 15 minutes in hot-water bath. Cool, check seals and store in cool, dark place.

Source: Adapted from “The Sunset Cookbook” (Oxmoor House, 2010).

Pickled Green Cherry Tomatoes

Yield: 6 pints

Prep time: 30 minutes plus 10 minutes processing time

Cook time: 5 minutes

4 cups white vinegar

2 cups water

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 quarts green cherry tomatoes

Per jar:

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon minced shallot

2 dill heads

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed

1 teaspoon brown mustard seed

1 teaspoon coriander seed

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Bring the vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil in a medium nonreactive pot. Stir to dissolved the sugar and salt.

Place garlic, shallot, dill and spices in each hot jar. Pack jars with tomatoes, being careful not to bruise them.

Pour boiled brine over the tomatoes, leaving 1/2 inch headspace and making sure the tomatoes are well covered in liquid. Check for air bubbles, wipe the rims and seal. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for elevation.

Source: Recipe from “Tart and Sweet,” by Kelly Geary and Jessie Knadler (Rodale, $24.99, 226 pages).

Yellow Tomato Ketchup

Yield: About 2 quarts

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus processing and cooling time for the jars

Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes

5 pounds very ripe yellow tomatoes, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

2 large yellow bell peppers, seeded, deribbed and coarsely chopped

2 onions

10 garlic cloves

1 cup white wine vinegar, divided

Juice and zest of 1/4 lemon

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon whole cloves

One 1-inch-long cinnamon stick

One 1-inch knob fresh ginger, cut into 3 or 4 pieces

Place the tomatoes in a large saucepan. Add the peppers, onions, garlic, 1/2 cup of the vinegar, the lemon zest and juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until coarsely pureed but not liquefied. Return the mixture to the pan; add the sugar, salt and remaining 1/2 cup vinegar.

Place the mustard seeds, peppercorns, coriander, cloves, cinnamon stick and ginger on an 8-inch square of cheesecloth. Gather up the corners and tie with kitchen string. Add to the tomato mixture. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 1 hour. Watch carefully so it does not burn. The ketchup will be slightly thinner than most commercial ketchups.

Ladle the ketchup into clean, dry, hot jars with sealable lids, filling the jars to within 1/2 inch of the rims. Wipe the rims clean. Cover with lids and process for 30 minutes in a hot-water bath.

Remove the jars and let cool at least 12 hours. Check the lids for a complete seal. Store in a cool, dark place. Will keep for up to a year. Once opened, keep refrigerated. Store any jar lacking a good seal in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Source: Recipe from the “San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook,” credited to Georgeanne Brennan.

This story was originally published August 24, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Potent Pickle Preparation."