Pickled Cucumbers
Crisp pickled cucumbers, from a recipe by Antonina Kuznetsova, are a classic Eastern European preserve where an aromatic set of spices does the heavy lifting: black currant leaves, dill umbels (the flowering seed heads, not the feathery fronds), horseradish, and garlic. It’s the currant leaves and horseradish that give these pickles the signature crunch they’re prized for in winter.
The key point: every seasoning goes into boiling water, never cold. That way they release their essential oils quickly without softening and falling apart. A brief two-minute blanch warms the cucumbers while keeping them firm, and the vinegar, added last, doesn’t have time to flatten the aroma of the greens.
For reliable storage, use cucumbers of one size, ideally pickling varieties with bumpy skin – they soak up the brine better than smooth salad cucumbers. Want more heat? Increase the garlic or drop in a piece of hot pepper. Store the sealed jars somewhere cool and dark.
Part of Eastern European cuisine — 65 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Sterilize the 3-liter jars and lids.
Make the brine: bring the water to a boil and add the currant leaves, dill umbels, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, horseradish, and garlic only to the boiling water.
While the brine comes up to a boil, blanch the cucumbers for 2 minutes.
Pack the cucumbers tightly into the jars and pour in the hot brine.
Add the vinegar at the very end, right into the jars if you like.
Seal the jars and turn them upside down until cooled.
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