Spicy Homemade No-Cook Pickles (dill or not)

With all of the vinegars and hot sauces I make, I finally decided it was time to make some pickles.  These are a "cold brew" and made to be eaten within a couple of weeks after they are cured.  The brine can be used twice and will create a delicious pickle both times.

For an even quicker pickle, choose either pickling cukes or an English cucumber (the one with the thin skin in the plastic wrap. Slice them into one-inch rounds and follow the directions below.  They'll be full flavor within 6 hours.

What you need: 2 16-oz ball jars, a sharp knife, one large stainless bowl, a ladle, measuring cup and spoons...your fingers and a bit of patience.

Fresh Ingredients: 
12 pickling cucumbers (or so); you can use English if you like
1 cubanelle pepper, sliced into 1/8 inch rounds
8-10 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh oregano (or dill), finelychopped

Dry Ingredients
1T black peppercorns, (I like tellicherry)
1T coriander seed
1/2 - 1 t celery seed
3 whole cloves (optional)
2T sea salt
2T sugar (turbinado works perfectly fine)

Wet Ingredients
2 c water
2 c white vinegar

Recipe
Rinse the cucumbers well.  With a sharp knife, remove a thin slice from each end of the cucumber.  If you don't have pickling cukes available, you can use an English cucumber or any other thin skinned variety (just don't use the thick-skinned waxy standard you find at the grocery).  If using a large cuke, remove the ends and then slice into 1/2 rounds.  Places your cucumbers in a stainless steel or glass bowl large enough to hold the entire batch.

Add the hot pepper slices to the bowl.  Be certain to use fresh peppers here.  Also, if you haven't worked with hot peppers before, it is always essential to wash your hands immediately after handling them. Cubanelles have medium heat and are nice for pickles almost anyone can enjoy.  Fresh banana peppers, anaheim peppers or cherry peppers are fine, too.

Now, add your herbs, spices and chopped garlic to the cukes.  (If you want a more mild garlic flavor, use whole or halved garlic.  The finer it is chopped the more pungent it is). Mix this with your hands at this point to combine.  Add the water and vinegar.  This is a case where you want to use plain white vinegar and nothing fancy.  You want absolutely nothing in there to add sugar or flavor that you don't choose.  I always have a large bottle of vinegar on hand not only for many of the vinegars I make, but also for cleaning the floors and windows (mixed with a few drops spearmint oil to make it smell good), killing weeds (works as well as round up), and cleaning drains in tandem with baking soda.

Next, add the salt and sugar to the bowl.  Mix everything together well with your hands.  Let the mixture rest for at least  2 hours so that the salt and sugar fully dissolve and the spices will be fully infused throughout the liquid.  You certainly can mix, smell and taste the briny mixture as it sits.

Once the two hours elapse (longer is fine), pack the pickles and peppers into the jars using your fingers or a pair of tongs.  They don't have to be tightly packed -- you want enough room for them to be immersed in brine. Then, ladle brine over the pickles until they are completely covered.  The coriander and peppercorns will float.  That isn't a problem.  Close the lids tightly over the jars and refrigerate for 7-10 days before eating if whole pickles and about 6 hours for sliced pickles.

Enjoy!