Quickles: Refrigerator Pickles
1 lb. pickling cucumbers
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups cold water
1 T sugar
2 T kosher salt
1 t. mustard seed
1 t. whole peppercorns
1⁄2 t. red pepper flakes
1 cup fresh dill
5 cloves garlic, peeled
Evenly divide the garlic, dill and cucumbers among four wide-mouthed pint jars. You can cut up the pickling cukes however you want, from slices to halves, etc. (smaller slices soak up the flavor faster). You can pack as many cukes into the jars as possible, even more than the recipe calls for if there’s space.
In a bowl, mix together vinegar, water, red pepper flakes, salt, mustard seed and dill seed to make a flavored brine. Use a funnel to fill each jar with brining liquid. If the cukes aren’t mostly covered, you can add a little more cold water and shake it up. Cap tightly and refrigerate at least one week before eating (or eat some right away and every day after, to see what they’re like:).
Raw Kale, Squash and Turnip Salad
2 zucchini or summer squash
1 bunch kale, chopped
2 med. Hakurei turnips, julienned
2 pearl onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cider vinegar
3 Tbs. dill
1 Tbs. Maple syrup
salt to taste
Slice the squash lengthwise with a peeler and place the ribbons in a bowl.
Toss with turnips, salt and let sit and wilt while preparing the kale.
Salt the chopped kale and massage for 5-10 minutes until tender.
Add the kale to the squash and turnips, then toss with remaining ingredients.
Let marinate for an hour, stirring occasionally to coat the veggies with the vinegar. Add salt before serving if needed.
New Potato Salad
2 lbs new potatoes, quartered
¼ cup mayo, sour cream, or yogurt
2 Tbs. finely chopped dill
3 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbs. mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Boil or steam potatoes until a fork can go in easily, but do not overcook! Mix with the rest of the ingredients and chill.
Greggie Pie’s Cabbage Pie
1/2 cabbage
1/2 onion
1/2 -3/4 cup fresh dill (not dried)
3 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup feta cheese
2 Tbs olive oil/ butter
Other veggies if you like:
carrots
mushrooms
summer squash
Prepare a pie crust (top & bottom) from your favorite recipe or storebought and set aside.
Chop onion into thumbnail size squares and begin to sauté in olive oil or butter. While that is sautéing chop cabbage into ribbons (1/4″ to 1/2″ width) and toss in after onions. Stir around and cover while you chop the carrots into bite size pieces. Toss carrots in and give another good stir.
Chop dill rather finely and add to sautéed mixture in pan. Sauté until everything is lightly cooked (it’ll get cooked again).
Transfer to a bowl where you add the feta and mix well. Cut hard boiled eggs into cubes or into slices, however you prefer.
Add half of sauté/ feta mixture into pie crust, then add the egg as a middle layer, then add the rest of the sauté mixture.
Roll on the pie crust top, cut slits for steam vents and put in oven at 375˚ for 45 min to an hour. Remove when pie crust is a nice brown.
Kohlrabi and Potatoes with Sour Cream and Dill
2 tbsp butter
3 cups kohlrabi, peeled and cut into rough chunks
2 potatoes cut into rough chunks
1/4 tsp paprika
1 cup vegetable stock
½ cup sour cream or crème fraîche
1 bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped
Heat the butter in a pan over a medium heat and add the kohlrabi, paprika, potato and a little salt. Stir, lower the heat, cover and leave for 5 minutes or so.
Add the stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cover again. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft enough to cut with a spoon. The stock should have reduced quite a bit by then but don’t worry if it hasn’t.
Raise the heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the soured cream or crème fraîche and remove from the heat. Add salt as needed, then fold in the dill to serve.
