[alt.gourmand] Cleartext copy of "Sweet cucumber chunks "

recipes@decwrl.UUCP (09/11/87)

CUKE-CHUNKS(AV)          USENET Cookbook          CUKE-CHUNKS(AV)

SWEET CUCUMBER CHUNKS
     CUKE-CHUNKS - A very sweet cucumber pickle

     My wife's grandmother provided us with this wonderful pickle
     recipe.

INGREDIENTS (Serves many)
     10        cucumbers, not too fat
     8 cups    sugar
     2 Tbsp    pickling spice (see note)
     5 tsp     salt (noniodized salt is best)
     4 cups    vinegar

PROCEDURE
          (1)  Wash cucumbers and place in large pot. Pour boil-
               ing water over cucumbers until they are covered.
               Let stand for 24 hours and then drain. Repeat this
               procedure for three (3) days. The cucumbers will
               be rather slimy after this.  This is normal.

          (2)  On the fourth day drain and slice into bite-size
               chunks. If the cucumbers are fat you can halve or
               quarter the chunks so you end up with bite-size
               pieces.

          (3)  Combine the remaining ingredients. Bring mixture
               to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour cooked mix-
               ture over the cucumber pieces.

          (4)  Return to a boil, but just a boil. Do not cook.
               Pour cucumbers and liquid mixture into canning
               jars and seal. Jars should be sealed in a boiling
               water bath for 10 minutes.

NOTES
     These are best if they sit for a month or so after canning,
     to give them time to work. If you use iodized salt, they are
     more likely to get cloudy during that month.

     If your grocery does not sell premixed "pickling spice" mix-
     tures, try various combinations of mustard seeds, celery
     seeds, coriander, dill, or any other strongly-flavored
     spices that you like.

     We increase this recipe by several times. Last year we used
     about 200 cucumbers.

RATING
     Difficulty: easy.  Time: 4 days of soaking. About 1-2 hours
     of real work.  Precision: Approximate measure ok.

CONTRIBUTOR
     Jim Roche
     University of Rochester, Computer Science Department
     roche@cs.rochester.edu        rochester!roche