Cucumber season: Here's how to make homemade Czech 'kvašáky' pickles

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Traditional Czech fare generally does not perform well in the vegetable stakes, with variations on the holy trinity of meat, sauce, and dumplings taking up much space on the average menu. Although technically a fruit rather than a vegetable, pickled cucumbers provide a welcome addition of a tart crunch (and some vitamins) to the mix and can be produced as evidence of something green on a plate. As well as being a key ingredient in potato salad, they often appear on platters laden with meat, and can simply be enjoyed on their own, washed down with beer.

Choose crisp cucumbers to start with it. If you start off with giant mushy cucumbers, you’re setting yourself up for failure. To make good pickles, you need to start with good cucumbers. You should look out for small cucumbers that are about 8-10cm, fresh and firm, and have a thick skin.
Pickle your cucumbers as soon after harvesting as possible. If you grow your own, pick them and pickle them immediately afterwards. If you’re sourcing them in a farmers’ market, try to buy them early in the day.
Cut the blossom end off the cucumber. The blossom contains an enzyme that can make the cucumbers mushy. Cutting a small amount off the blossom end avoids this problem.
Add some cherry, oak or grape leaves to the jars. They contain tannins which help keep the pickles firm.

1.This no-vinegar method requires a few days to allow for natural bacteria to do their work. The result is a tangy, fermented pickle, using just salt and water.
2.Make the brine. Heat half the water in a pot until boiling. Add the salt and stir until it dissolves. Turn off the heat, and add the remainder of the water to quickly cool the brine.
3.Place the pickle flavourings into a clean glass jar and add the cucumbers. Take care that the cucumbers at the top of the jar are wider than the neck of the jar, so that they will not float once the brine is added. It’s very important that the cucumbers remain submerged in brine, otherwise a mould can form.
4.Pour in the brine, taking care that the cucumbers are completely submerged. Leave at room temperature for up to a week to ferment, before moving into a fridge or a cold cellar, where the cool temperature will stop the fermentation process.

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