Pickles! Simple Dill Recipe

I absolutely love pickles, especially cucumber pickles, and my husband loves to experiment with different flavours. I thought, since anyone growing Zukes or Cukes would be drowning in them right now, I would share a traditional dill and garlic recipe. So, no need to foist the extras on the neighbours! (Unless you want to, of course)

Ingredients
Anything you want to pickle!
- Cucumbers
- Broccoli stems
- Asparagus
- Carrots
- ect...

4 cucumbers ( 3 - 4 inches)

4 cloves garlic
1 cup Fresh Dill, chopped
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Whole peppercorns
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Water
1 tbsp Sea Salt
Optional:
1 Lime (juiced)

Any glass container with a lid that seals, regular glass tupperware works great!

 
Directions

Pour water into a large bowl, about 2 cups, then mix in and dissolve the salt. Once salt is completely dissolved add the apple cider vinegar. Then, add all of your other herbs and spices. Let this mixture sit while you prep your cucumbers.

(I've added lime juice as optional, since the hint of citrus is really nice to add to pickles during the summer and the price just dropped back to something reasonable this week.)

Give them a quick wash to remove any excess dirt residue, then cut them into quarters. If you prefer whole cucumber pickles, then be aware that they will take a bit longer to "cure" before being ready to munch on.

Bathe your cucumbers in the pickling liquid for about two hours (three hours for whole cucumbers). If they start floating, just set an upside down pot lid on top to submerge them.

Afterwards, separate the cucumbers into your glass containers, then pour the pickling mixture into each container to fill it. Seal it up and refrigerate.

The usual wait time is about 2 days for really lightly flavoured pickles and 1 week for a good strong flavour. They keep for about 1 month.

Enjoy!

Bright Roasted Veggies

INGREDIENTS

6 beets
6 carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, then quartered
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup orange juice
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
   
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the beets in a small ovenproof pan with a little water; cover with a lid or foil. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets.

After about 40 minutes, toss the carrots with the olive oil. Put them in a separate baking pan and roast for 15 to 25 minutes.

When the beets are tender when poked with a fork, remove them from the oven. Cool just enough so you can handle them safely, then cut off the stem ends and slip off the skins. Cut in to bite-sized pieces.

Toss the beets and carrots with the melted butter and the orange juice; add salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped dill.

Flavourful Roasted Carrots

INGREDIENTS 

10 carrots, scrubbed and peeled if desired
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp fresh ginger
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
3 Tbsp plain yogurt 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the carrots in half first, then cut lengthwise into sticks. Toss them with about half a tablespoon of olive oil and with salt and pepper to taste. In a roasting pan, roast until tender (30 to 60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the sticks).

In the meantime, finely grate the garlic and ginger. Mix them with the remaining olive oil, the dill, and the yogurt. Use the back of a large spoon to crush the dill and ginger bits against the side of the bowl to release the flavours. Pour the sauce over the carrots and serve hot or at room temperature.

Baked Latkes

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 lbs potatoes (or combination of any of the following: potatoes, zucchini, yams, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, turnips)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 Tbsp fresh dill, minced (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Coat two cookie sheets with 2 to 3 teaspoons of the oil on each.

Grate the potatoes (and other vegetables, if using) into a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients, including remaining oil. Stir to combine.

Drop the potato mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the greased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly to make them into patties rather than mounds.

Bake for until the undersides are lightly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Brush the tops of the latkes with a very light coating of oil, then flip them over and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them; they are done when they are crisp and golden brown.

Serve hot with sour cream or apple sauce.

Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

1 avocado
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes or fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/2 cup veggies, finely chopped: green onions, bell pepper, celery, red onion, dill pickle, and/or tomato
1 tsp fresh herbs, finely chopped: chives, parsley, and/or dill
8 slices multigrain bread
8 leaves of lettuce

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, mash the avocado with a fork. Add the lemon juice, mustard, parsley, salt, and apple cider or juice and then mix until well blended.

Mash up the eggs with a fork. Add the avocado mixture and your choice of the veggies and herbs, and mix until combined.

Lightly toast the bread and top with a lettuce leaf and the egg salad.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Herby Salad Dressing

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3-4 sprigs fresh basil, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Mix the mustard with the vinegar in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, then stir in the herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a little more vinegar or oil to taste if needed.

Spinach with Chickpeas and Fresh Dill

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 pound spinach, with thick stem cut away
1/2 cup minced fresh dill
2 Ttsp lemon juice
Sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and toss to coat in oil.

Wash spinach and add to skillet without drying. Add dill and cook until spinach is tender.

Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Springtime Spinach with Chickpeas

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 lb fresh spinach, trimmed if needed
1/2 cup minced fresh dill
4 Tbsp lemon juice or the juice of two lemons
Sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, and saute until soft. Add chickpeas, and toss to coat in oil.

Wash spinach and add to skillet without drying it first. Add dill and cook until spinach is tender.

Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Tomato Dill Penne

INGREDIENTS

6 tomatoes, chopped
About 8 cups of cooked penne (or brown rice penne)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Cook tomatoes in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring gently, for about 2 minutes. Add pasta, dill, and remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring often, just until thoroughly heated.

Serve immediately.

Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 potatoes, cubed
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 - 1 cup milk
1/4 tsp dill
1/4 tsp dry mustard
black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Put potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, garlic, onions, salt, and stock or water in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Puree this mixture in a blender (you can leave it more chunky than pureed). Put in another pan and whisk in the cheese, milk, dill, dry mustard, and pepper.

Optional: Top with additional steamed cauliflower florets, chives, and/or extra grated cheese.