Basic Dill Fermented Pickles

2 c. filtered water
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
2-3 heads of dill or 2-3 TBSP fresh dill leaves

1 tsp. peppercorn
1 tsp. mustard seed

3 cloves garlic, chopped into sections

4-5 small or medium pickling cucumbers

½ onion sliced (optional)

1. In a pot over medium high heat dissolve the salt in 1 cup of the water.

2. Turn off the heat and add the other cup of room temperature water.

3. Add the pickle ingredients to a glass pint jar. To the bottom of the jar add the smashed garlic cloves, dill, sliced onion, peppercorns, mustard seeds, or whatever you like to add more flavor.

4. Cut off the ends of the cucumbers and make sure that the tops are 1 inch below the top of the jar.

6. Pack the cucumbers in the jar (small whole ones or quartered are easiest). These should be packed tight enough that nothing floats to the top.

7. Pour the brine over the cucumbers.

8. Screw the lid onto the jar. One of these jar weights can also be used to keep the cucumbers below the brine (to avoid mold growth).

9. Let the jar sit out at room temperature for 2-3 days, until pickles are the desired flavor. Be sure to release the air from the jar occasionally or built up pressure can cause the jar to explode! You can also buy special fermenting lids that don’t need “burping.”

--I've seen other recipes which state to pickle them for 3 weeks at least.

10. When pickles are as sour as desired, store in the fridge for several months. The cold temperature halts the fermentation process.

Abby Fisher's Chow Chow

pulled from: https://www.npr.org/2014/02/05/271531627/a-meal-to-honor-early-african-american-cookbook-authors

Fisher won medals for her condiments, so her chow chow was an easy choice. Her recipe called for 4 gallons of cucumber, a gallon of cider vinegar and similarly large quantities of everything else. I cut the recipe down and somewhat reduced the proportion of vinegar. In addition to fish, this would be good with chicken or other meat, or beans.

Makes about 3 cups

Half a head (about 4 cups) green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarse salt
1 pint cider vinegar
2 cucumbers cut in small dice
2 cucumbers grated with a medium hole on a box grater
1 to 2 onions, finely chopped or grated
scant 1/2 cup brown sugar
        (original called for 3/4 c.  I thought it would be too much and I like my result)
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
2 cups wine vinegar (or use part vinegar and part water if you prefer it less pungent)

Toss the cabbage and salt together. Let sit at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Bring the cider vinegar to a boil. Add the cabbage, including the accumulated juices, the cucumbers, onions, brown sugar, cayenne, pepper, turmeric and wine vinegar to the pot with the cider vinegar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced substantially. Let cool. Serve as a condiment.

Bret's Pickled Summer Vegatables

Ingedients
1 red bell pepper, cubed
1 orange bell pepper, cubed
1 poblano pepper, cubed
1 red jalepeno pepper, cubed
1 medium eggplant, cubed
kernals from 3 ears of corn
1 medum cucumber, cubed
10 medium white button mushrooms, cubed
1 zuccini, sliced and diced thickly
1/2 large onion, sliced and diced thickly
1/3 c. of coarsely chopped garlic

1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, cracked
1/4 tsp whole cloves, cracked
1/4 tsp cardamon seeds, cracked
12 leaves of sage, chopped coarsely
3/4 tsp. dill seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

12 oz white wine vinegar
1 c. white vinegar, and enough extra to barely cover the vegetables in the pot
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 c. water

Prepare all vegetables. Put all in a pot, cover with liquids, add the seasonings. Put on a high fire until it is just boiling. When it boils, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes to partially cook the vegetables and infuse the seasonings.

While waiting, sterilize enough jars to hold the pickles.

Ladel the pickles into the jars and seal. Process in hot water bath for 20 minutes and then let sit to pickle on a shelf for 3-5 days. These should keep for a long time while sealed. At least a year, but likely longer. Once opened, they must be refrigerated and eaten somewhat quickly or they'll go bad.