Vatican-style cucumbers: A surprising twist on a summer classic

The cucumber season is slowly picking up pace, and by July, it will completely inundate us with vegetables. It's worth taking advantage of this time to prepare preserves that will be delightful even after the season. In my pantry, you can find traditional pickled or preserved cucumbers and those "Vatican style".

Although making preserves can take some time, I’m always grateful for the shelves full of jars with sealed vegetables in the winter. Usually, pickled cucumbers are the most popular, but once I discovered the recipe for Vatican-style cucumbers, they had to be on the pantry shelf. My family was surprised when they saw me packing raisins into the jar. After trying these cucumbers, they all agreed it was quite a crazy but delicious recipe. They quickly won the hearts of my family, and I can’t imagine a season of preserves without Vatican-style cucumbers.

Raisins are usually associated with baked goods, but in this case, they become a key ingredient in the brine. Vatican-style cucumbers have a sweet and sour, slightly vinegary taste and are great as a side dish for dinner or a tasty snack. They are a delicious alternative to classic pickled or preserved cucumbers, and their preparation is just as simple.

For this recipe, choosing small, firm, and crisp cucumbers without wrinkled skin is best. This way, they will be perfectly crunchy after pickling. They will be a sensation everywhere on sandwiches, with meats, by themselves, or at a barbecue.

Ingredients:

• 4 kilograms of cucumbers,
• 2 tablespoons of salt,
• for 1 jar: 12 raisins, 1 clove of garlic, 6 black peppercorns, and a pinch of dill seeds.

Brine:

• 250 millilitres of water,
• 800 grams of sugar,
• 300 millilitres of vinegar.

Preparation method:

1. I thoroughly wash the cucumbers, cut them into quarters, and sprinkle them with salt. I set them aside for 1.5 hours.
2. After that, I drain the cucumbers from the water released due to the salt.
3. I pour water and vinegar into a pot, add sugar, and cook until it dissolves.
4. I sterilise and dry the jars. I place the spices and cucumbers into the jars and pour the brine over them.
5. I pasteurise for 10 minutes.

In just two weeks, you can enjoy the taste of Vatican-style cucumbers. They are so delicious that I eagerly count the days until they are ready. Enjoy!