Today’s menu includes Finnish pickled cucumbers, which I’ve been making in bowls for the second year in a row. It’s all very simple and without sterilization.

This recipe is simple: there is no need to fiddle with boiling water, pouring it back and forth.

Cucumbers cook quickly, and every season I try to prepare as many as possible.

Preparation:

First, I soak the cucumbers in water for two hours.

Then I cut them into large pieces, after washing and cutting off the ends on both sides. I cut small cucumbers in half.

I take a large basin, put it on the fire, pour three liters of water into it. I add six tablespoons of coarse rock salt, 400 grams of sugar, two teaspoons of mustard seeds and three bay leaves.

As soon as the water boils, I pour in 360 milliliters of 9% vinegar and bring the marinade to a boil again.

Now I carefully add the cucumbers to the boiling marinade. I stir them for a few minutes until the cucumbers change color.

As soon as the cucumbers turn white, I cook them for another three minutes and remove them from the heat.

I place the prepared cucumbers in sterilized jars and fill them with marinade to the top.

I close the jars with clean lids, screw them on and turn them upside down. I wrap them in a blanket and leave them until they cool completely.

I store cucumbers at room temperature.

The resulting cucumbers are extremely tasty, reminding me of the Hungarian cucumbers from my childhood. In winter, they go well even with regular potatoes and always fly off the shelves among the family!