Dilly beans!

So I’ve been cooking since my weight restrictions were lifted, now I can pick up pans again! and I’ve really been enjoying actually using and eating the lovely things I’ve grown.

None of my recipes are strict- they’re adapted from several I’ve tried over the years and my own experiments. I tend to make them differently every time!

First up: dilly beans! Aka kosher dill green beans!

You will need:

• One jar large enough to fit trimmed beans in- mine is 1 Liter
• A pot to blanch the beans in
• A small pot to warm up the brine
• With the exception of the brine ingredients I don’t really measure anything, and even with the brine the proportions are more important than the exact volume
• Brine:

1 cup white wine vinegar (I used champagne- but any 6% acidity vinegar would do) (hell used distilled if that’s what you got)

1 cup water

2-3 tablespoons sugar

1-2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 garlic cloves minced (pretty much everything here can be altered- but I wouldn’t go over 2 cloves- I did that once and got inedible garlic bombs. Learn from my mistakes!)

Beans:

• As many green beans that will fit into your jar
• 1 shallot minced
• 2-3 dill fronds
• 1/2 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more- or less- you do you!)
• This was fun as when I pulled out my long unused pickle jar from storage it smelled like- last years pickles (ew) so I had to disinfect it by boiling it in my largest pot over the stove with soap and distilled vinegar. Once you have your clean jar:
• Trim your green beans and blanch them- boil them for 1 minute and then take them out. I don’t bother with a cold water bath, but you totally could.

Put them in your jar along with the dill fronds, chopped shallot, peppercorns and red pepper flake- then put the brine ingredients into a small pot and heat it up- then pour it over your beans. Depending on the exact size of your jar there might be too much liquid- or not enough, you’ll have to see. If there isn’t enough top off with a mixture of half water/half vinegar.

Then refrigerate for a few days-

Then eat!

These never last long in my house. Last time I made them I used half a small onion instead of a shallot- but either will do!

If you have sugar restrictions you could maybe cut it out and make it more of a sour pickle- or replace it with the sugar replacer of your choice. I’ve never tried that, be interested to see if that works!