Pickled Cucumbers with Shiso

This is the time of year for serious pickling and canning. The farmers markets are approaching their peak and it’s easy to get your hands on a large bucket of cucumbers for a modest price. If you can find Japanese cucumbers even better, but the small to medium sized cucumbers sold for dill pickles are great when in season.

Tsukemono Recipe: Pickled Cucumbers with Shiso

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds of pickling cucumbers washed and sliced
kosher salt
1-2 inch strip of konbu
Brine:
2/3 cup shiso vinegar
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Directions:
1. Weigh the cucumbers on a digital scale in grams. Multiply this number by .035. This is how much salt you will need. For example, 1000 grams of cucumbers will require 35 grams of kosher salt
2. Sprinkle the cucumbers evenly with salt and add konbu. Place the cucumbers in a large bowl and cover with a heavy plate. Store in the refrigerator overnight, and then gently squeeze and drain cucumbers of excess brine using a strainer.
3. Combine all brine ingredients in a sauce pan and heat up until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Let the brine cool.
4. Add brine to the cucumbers. You’ll need enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Let the pickles sit for a day in the refrigerator before serving.