Icebox Pickles Inspired by Lois Lee

From the August 28, 2010 show.

© 2010, Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

10 minutes prep time; 4 hours curing; 1 minute stove time.

Makes 3 to 4 cups.

The pickles keep 4 months in the refrigerator.

Sweet pickles are my downfall, I'll eat them straight or with anything you can think of. Those day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches don't fly for me without these pickles, nor does sharp cheddar or summer sausage.

Cooking teacher Lois Lee says this was her mom's favorite summer project. No doubt her mother was a pragmatist of the first order because this is one of the easiest pickle recipes of all time. There is no need to worry about sterilizing, or killing off the family because your jars didn't seal. This recipe makes a reasonable quantity, not gallons and gallons. Keep them in the refrigerator up to nine months. Then again, they won't last long.

Cook to Cook: Make sure the jars are immaculately clean.

This recipe's variations are endless. Imagine red peppers, carrots, green beans, chiles; in short, any combination you can conjure.

Vegetables:
• 4 cups thin-sliced small cucumbers (about 1 pound of finger length cukes), or other vegetables
• 1 cup thin-sliced onions
• 2-1/2 tablespoons salt

Brine:
• 1-2/3 cups white vinegar
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 6 whole cloves
• 15 black peppercorns, bruised
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 12 whole allspice, crushed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1. In a glass or stainless bowl, combine the cucumbers, onions, and salt with an equal amount of ice cubes. Let stand 3 to 4 hours. Before using the vegetables, drain them thoroughly and pick out any remaining ice cubes.

2. In a 4-quart saucepan combine all the brine ingredients over medium-high heat. Boil the brine for 1 minute. Add the drained vegetables. Heat the brine again just to boiling, remove the pan from the heat, and pack the vegetables and brine into jars. Cover them and keep them chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve.