Farm to Table Recipe - Mālaʻai Fridge Pickles

This year our students really wanted to plant cucumbers. Typically the pickle worm and other pests make it hard to grow. However, it has been some years and they did so well we had to preserve lots of them. Please enjoy this refrigerator pickle recipe from “Once Upon a Chef” adapted and prepared by our afterschool garden club. As part of the preparation each of the 24 students go to take pickles home to their families!

Servings: Makes about 4 pint jars

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar

• 3 Tbsp kosher salt

• 2 Tbsp sugar

• 2 cups cold water

• 1 1/2-2 lbs cucumbers cut into 1/4in slices

• 2 Tbsp Coriander seeds

• 6 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved

• 1/2 white onion thinly sliced

• 5-10 long beans cut into 2in pieces

• 1 tsp mustard seed

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp whole allspice

Directions:

Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar together in small non-reactive saucepan (such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or Teflon) over high heat. Whisk until the slat and sugar are dissolved. Transfer the liquid into a bowl and whisk in the cold water. Refrigerate brine until ready to use.

Sterilize your canning jars and lids. Stuff the cucumbers, onions, and green beans into your pint jars. Add the coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, allspice and chilled brine to the jars. Divide the brine evenly between all the jars. If necessary, add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate about 24hrs, then serve. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month!