Thickened Pickles

Thickened pickles © kvalifood.com

Danish homemade pickles are different from British piccalilli: the vegetables are briefly cooked in vinegar, and the sauce is thickened with flour mixed with curry, mustard, and turmeric, so it coats the vegetables. It is a classic preserved condiment for open-faced sandwiches and cold cuts.

Ingredients

Yields ca. 8-10 jars

  • 1 large firm head of cauliflower
  • 250 g shallots (or pearl onions)
  • 500 g small green beans
  • 500 g very small pickling cucumbers
  • 250 g carrots
  • 250 g green tomatoes (preferably cherry tomatoes), or freshly podded peas
  • brine: 1/2 dl salt per 1 l water

Pickle sauce

  • 1 1/2 l vinegar
  • 4-5 dl sugar, to taste
  • 3-4 tbsp powdered yellow mustard
  • ca. 3-5 tbsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp mild paprika
  • 10 whole peppercorns
  • 2 whole cloves
  • ca. 1 1/2 dl plain flour
  • 1 tbsp preserving liquid

Directions

Preparation and brining

Wash and prepare all the vegetables. Divide the cauliflower into small florets. Top and tail the beans and break them in half if you like. Slice a thin piece off each end of the cucumbers. Cut the carrots into slices and par-boil them for 5 minutes in water. Prick the tomatoes with a fork, or pod the peas. Bring the brine to the boil, let it cool completely, then submerge all the vegetables and refrigerate for 24 hours. Drain well.

Cooking in vinegar

Cook the beans and carrots for 3 minutes in the vinegar. Add the remaining vegetables and bring back to the boil. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon.

Pickle sauce

Add the sugar and the whole spices tied in a piece of muslin to the vinegar. Mix the powdered spices and flour with a little cold water to a smooth paste and whisk it into the vinegar. Cook the pickle sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

Assembly

Return the vegetables to the sauce and bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat, skim, and stir in the preserving liquid. Fill the pickles into clean, scalded jars and seal immediately.

Notes

  • Remove the muslin bag of spices before ladling the sauce into jars
  • The pickles are best after a couple of weeks, once the spices have settled in
  • Green tomatoes can be replaced with freshly podded peas - both give good texture and colour
  • The amount of flour can be adjusted - more flour gives a thicker, firmer sauce
  • Store in a cool place; keeps for 6 months unopened