Refrigerator Dill Pickles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Ten years ago, if asked if I put by pickles, my answer was a resounding, "No." Twenty years ago, it was a terse and less polite, "Get real." My response thirty yeas ago is best kept to myself. My failure to get with the program wasn't based on laziness, I've just never cared for preserved pickles. I thought they were salty and limp, and found their color just plain unappetizing. I wasn't a complete snob about them. I did love the brined, unprocessed dills that could occasionally be found in be found in barrels in some markets and delicatessens. I just never took the time to find out how they were made. Shortly after we moved to this area, I began to experiment with refrigerated pickles for certain Thai and Vietnamese dishes, and in the process learned I could make our favorite pickles in much the say way. I first mastered a refrigerator version of bread and butter pickles because my family loved to have them on hamburgers. I worked on garlic dills for several years but couldn't get the flavors right. I was about to give up and admit defeat when I found a recipe by Bobby Flay and decided to try one last time. I'm so glad I did. These are great pickles and they require no special equipment to make. They can be eaten the day after they are made and keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator. My only caution is to make sure you have enough room to store them for that length of time. I hope those of you who are fond of pickles will try these. You won't be sorry. Here's the recipe.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bobby Flay

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
3/4 teaspoon dill seeds
2 cups hot water
2 pounds kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

Directions:
1) Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and dill seeds in a heatproof bowl. Add hot water and stir until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear. Cool to room temperature.
2) Place cucumbers, garlic and dill in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Pour brine over all and turn to coat cucumbers. Cover them with a plate to weigh them down and keep them covered in brine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, stirring once or twice. Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to two weeks. Yield: 1 quart.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Italian Giardiniera - Luna Cafe
Dill and Garlic Freezer Pickles - The Other Side of Fifty
Bread and Butter Pickles - Simply Recipes
Pickled Cucumber and Shallots - Indo-Chine Kitchen
Calico Pickled Salad - Drick's Rambling Cafe
Favorite Kosher Dills - Never Enough Thyme
Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Rind Pickles - One Perfect Bite

Israeli Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was introduced to this salad in a tourist hotel that sat at the edge of a hutong in Bejing, China. A group of Israeli tourists was also staying at the hotel and most mornings I'd have breakfast with them. I'm a very early riser and would sneak to the dining room for a cup of coffee rather than disturb Bob with my restlessness. It bothered these kind folks to see me sitting by myself and they insisted I join them at their table. Breakfast in a Chinese tourist hotel is a multicultural affair that features food, usually served buffet style, that will appeal to all the groups who are guests of the hotel. My friends, although not worried about keeping kosher, had a separate dining area with an array of food that centered on salads and other foods our hosts thought more typical of an Israeli or Mediterranean diet. My companions would gather various vegetable elements from the buffet and bring them back to the table where they were tossed with chopsticks and dressed with fresh lemon and whatever oil was available. Though not accustomed to salad at six in the morning, I was charmed into sharing theirs for the duration of my stay. Although there is some chopping involved, the salad is very easy to assemble and it's perfect for a summer meal when tomatoes and cucumbers are abundant. If you haven't had this salad, I hope you will give it a try. While the salad is delicious, it does not keep well, so dress it just before serving and make no more than you will use in one sitting. Here's how it's made.

Israeli Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 large green bell pepper
3 (6-to 8-ounce) tomatoes, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted, quartered
2/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1) Char pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened. Enclose in plastic bag 15 minutes. Peel, seed, and cut pepper into 1/3-inch cubes. Place in large bowl.
2) Add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion, and parsley. Whisk oil and lemon juice in small bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper, then mix into vegetables. Let vegetables marinate at least 15 minutes but not more than 3 hours before serving. Cover and chill. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mediterranean Orzo Salad - Andrea Meyers
Summer Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, Basil Vinaigrette and Herbs - Kalyn's Kitchen
Strawberry Tomato Salad with Balsamic - Jungle Frog Cooking
Israeli Salad - Phoo-d
The Quintessential Salad - Nosh and Tell
Cherry Tomato Salad - Tastes Like Home

Shrimp and Rice Salad with Cucumbers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The heat wave here has broken and we are again enjoying the more temperate weather that this area is known for. It is, in a word, beautiful. The days are pleasantly warm, but once the sun sets we cool down quickly. When the temperatures soared, I pulled out some of the recipes I used when we were living in Illinois and New Jersey. Summers in both areas could be unpleasantly warm, and this recipe and others like it were a godsend on hot nights when I was working. I should be ashamed to admit it, but when this was on the menu, I'd stop to pick up steamed shrimp and carry-out rice to make short work of the meal. Once home, I spread the rice on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer for a quick cool down. It took all of five minutes to make the dressing and once it was done, I'd combine it with shrimp, cucumbers and rice and give it all a good toss. The salad went back into the freezer for another half hour to chill a bit more before before serving. It was a light, easy and delicious meal for blistering summer nights. It still is. While it's not necessary, I try to use day old rice to make this salad. The rice has more substance and holds it shape better than fresh rice when tossed. I'm not a fan of mayonnaise, so I've dressed the salad with oil and vinegar to cut back a bit on calories. I also use garden cucumbers, but remove the seeds before chopping and adding to the salad. The recipe can be doubled to feed a crowd or halved to feed just one or two, and you can, of course, substitute brown rice for white. I think you will like this easy summer entree. Here's the recipe.

Shrimp and Rice Salad with Cucumbers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or red onion
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 pound cooked shrimps, shelled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise
Dressing
Juice and julienned strips of peel from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1) Place rice, shallots, cucumber, shrimp and lemon zest in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
2) Mash garlic and salt in bottom of a small bowl. Add mustard, lemon juice, vinegar and oil. Whisk to combine.
3) Pour dressings over salad and toss gently to mix. Add pepper and parsley and toss again. Chill slightly. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Thai Tuna Salad - One Perfect Bite
Asian Chicken or Shrimp Salad - One Perfect Bite
Curried Turkey Salad - One Perfect Bite
Grilled Chicken Salad with Spicy Pineapple Dressing - For the Love of Cooking
Thai Beef Salad - The Cooking Addicts
Shrimp Salad with Lime Vinaigrette - Sauce and Sensibility

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While searching for side dishes that would add pizzaz to barbecues and picnics, I came across this lovely salad that's guaranteed to waken tired taste buds. It's made with watermelon, tomatoes and cucumbers and gets an added boost of flavor from herbs that you get to choose. It's tossed with a light vinaigrette and served in a hollowed melon shell that adds visual appeal to an otherwise plain presentation. While there is some chopping involved, the salad is simple to make and it is portable. It can also be made more substantial with the addition of cooked shrimp or feta cheese. The components of this salad all release large amounts of liquid and they will drown in their own juice if the salad sits too long. So, while I prepare everything hours in advance of serving, I wait until the last minute to combine and toss the elements together. I love this dish, but as I made it a wave of nostalgia washed over me. You see, I remember a time when watermelon was a treat eaten while lying shoeless in the grass as we searched the sky for Venus and craters on the moon. No one spoke of mint or maceration, as seeds were spit, willy-nilly, among the fire-flies that lit the dark Midwestern night. I hope our children all still know the joy of simple pleasures and hear the crickets song. Here's the recipe that started my reverie. I think you'll really like it.

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Beth Nakamura and Oregon Live

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup slivered red onion
Pinch salt
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced (1/2-inch) seeded watermelon
2 ripe firm, meaty tomatoes, cut into 16 thin wedges
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves or other herbs such as mint or tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Combine sugar, vinegar, onion, salt and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add oil. Set aside to cool.
2) Combine watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers and basil in a large bowl. About an hour before serving, pour dressing over mixture and toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill. Turn mixture into a watermelon shell to serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Corn Salad with Edamame and Tomatoes - One Perfect Bite
Asian Bean Sprout Salad - One Perfect Bite
Asparagus and White Bean Salad - One Perfect Bite
Picnic Pasta Salad - Good Bite
Grated Carrot Salad - Culinate
Dill Potato Salad - Susi's Kochen Und Backen Adventures

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Thai Cucumber Relish - Ah Jaht

This is a fresh, crisp relish whose icy greens are just beautiful to look at. I serve this as a salad with creamy Thai coconut curries and any other time I want a salad that will clear the palate. It is simple to assemble and keeps well. Submerged in its brine, the cucumbers will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. The relish requires no special ingredients and can be assembled in less than 15 minutes. It is best served cold after marinating for a few hours. Like heat? Add more chilies. I have been known to add small amounts of chopped peanuts and freshly chopped cilantro.


Thai Cucumber Relish - Ah Jaht

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white or rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large hothouse cucumbers or 1 pound garden cucumbers
3 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots or coarsely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons thinly sliced small red or green chilies

Directions:
1) Combine vinegar, water,sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar and salt dissolve. Set aside. Cool.
2) Peel cucumbers if you wish. Cut them lengthwise into 4 long strips. Cut each strip crosswise into bite size triangles. Combine with shallots and chilies in a small bowl. Add cooled dressing. Can be served at room or chilled. Yield: 3 cups.