Lightly Fermented Pickles Silpnai rauginti agurkai This is exclusively a summer food. It is prepared when cucumbers are off to the races and start to ripen so quickly that you hardly have enough buckets and baskets get them all inside. Pickles made this way retain their crispness, and they absorb the best aromas and flavors of your garden and orchard. They can be served as a garnish or used to make salads. But they’re so delicious you’ll want to eat them on their own. Making them is very simple. All you have to do is walk around and gather some aromatic leaves. But if you or your neighbors don’t have cherry trees or currant bushes, then don’t fret—salt, sugar, and dill are all you need to make deliciously fresh fermented pickles. It’s best to ferment these pickles in glass jars or clay pots. (You can also start them in a large bowl or pot and transfer them to jars after one day of soaking in the brine.) If you use lukewarm rather than cold water for the brine, they will be more flavorful and ferment quicker. Then you’ll only need to store them at room temperature for one day before eating them. The longer they sit, the more sour they’ll come out. Move them to the refrigerator after a few days to prevent them from becoming too sour.
2¼ lb. • 1 kg fresh short cucumbers (such as Kirby cucumbers) • 1 heaping tablespoon salt 4 cups • 1 liter water • 3–4 garlic cloves • 3–4 dill sprigs with leaves and florets • a few cherry and black currant leaves • small piece of horseradish leaf
336 Taste Lithuania
1. Wash the cucumbers and cut off their ends. 2. Cut the garlic cloves in half without peeling them. 3. Put half the herbs and garlic and all of the cucumbers into jars or a pot. Place the remaining herbs and garlic on top. 4. Dissolve the salt in cold water and cover the cucumbers with it. 5. Leave the jars or the pot at room temperature for two days, then store them in a cool place.