Hot Half Sours (Salt-picked cucumbers)

**summilux** · 09-29-2017

I first visited Manhattan in the late seventies. NYC was so different then and I vividly remember making the pilgrimage to the 42nd street photo stores when 42nd street was a grimy, run down place. I also remember visiting the Lower East Side and tasting a Hot Half Sour right out of the pickling vat. These are whole pickled small cucumbers that have been preserved in a light salt brine. They have the taste and crunchiness of a raw cucumber with spice thrown in. No vinegar and not really sour at all. I've never been able to find a commercial substitute because sterilizing them would ruin the texture and they only last about a week in the fridge. I've tweaked the internet recipes and this is my current favorite:

-cucumbers. I use Kirby but any pickling cucumber about 4" long should do.

Buy as many as you think you can eat in a week . I will buy between one and two dozen. Soak the cucumbers in water, scrub off the dirt and pull off any stems. No cutting! Find watertight containers that will fit all your cucumbers. You could use mason jars for this but these are not really space efficient . I just use a Rubbermaid. With the cucumbers in it, fill the container with water to cover the cukes. Measure how much water was used so you know how much brine is needed.

For every liter (quart) of brine, you need:
~3/16 cup of sea salt (do not use iodized salt!)
2 allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon of black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seed
1 tablespoon of pepper flakes
1 whole dried red chile
6 sliced cloves of garlic

Dissolve salt in water. I put the salt and some water in a mason jar, microwaving it and shaking until clear. Let the water cool to room temp.
Put the spices and garlic in the container. Add cukes. Pour the cooled brine over it all and stick it in your fridge. Let it sit for about one week, occasionally rearranging the cucumbers in case some have floated out of the brine. They'll last for about a week more before going soft.