Cucamelon Pickles
Look. Yes. I have too many cucamelons.
Who knew that my secret talent was growning cucamelons?? Not me! But here we are….
And boy are we here!!
It’s September and I have way, way WAY too many cucamelons.
I have been eating them in salads, but I still have a lot, so I thought the smartest thing to do would be to pickle them. I mean, they are basically just teeny tiny cucumbers, and pickles are made from small cucumbers, soooooo…. Cucamelon Pickles!
These are what are called a quick pickle. They’re not shelf-stable, you have to keep them in the fridge, but either way, pickling is a great way to preserve hight-0f-summer produce that you have too much of.
I really like quick pickles, as they are super easy to make, and I generally always have on hand what I need to make them (which is basically vinegar, salt, sugar and whatever spices tickle your fancy).
Here I’ve opted to go for a kind of traditional dill pickle. I’m excited to enjoy these alongside my burgers and sandwiches this fall, or use them to garnish a nice cocktail, perhaps?
How would you use a pickled cucuamelon?
Pickled Cucamelons
Ingredients
- 2 cups cucamelons washed, stems removed
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar (you can use white or brown)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 clove garlic
- handful fresh dill sprigs
- 1/2 tsp peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp pepper flakes optional if you like it a bit hot
Instructions
- Start by washing your cucamelons well and removing any stems or flowering bits. Drain well in a colander.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the vinegars, water, sugar and salt and bring up to the boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Add your cucuamleons to a mason jar (or two) and pack it well. Shove the garlic clove, dill sprigs and other spices into the jar as well.
- Carefully pour the hot pickling brine over the cucamelons in the jar until it reaches about 1/2" from the top. Weight down the cucamelons with something if need be to make sure they are all submerged in the brine. Set aside for an hour or so to allow the brine to cool. Once cool, put the top on and store in the fridge for about a week. Then they will be ready to eat!