Microwave Bread and Butter Pickles
The old classic, now easy to make in a twinkling.
Total Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Standing Time: Overnight
Makes 6 cups
2 pounds medium pickling cucumbers, ends trimmed, sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
1 medium onion, quartered, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
2 cups cider vinegar
-
Place the cucumbers and onions in a 3-quart dish. Add the salt and toss to coat all the pieces. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes, or until the cucumbers start to sweat. Transfer to a colander, rinse with cool water, and set aside to drain 5 minutes or so.
-
Using the same dish, mix together the mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, cloves, brown sugar, and vinegar and stir to dissolve the sugar a bit. Add the cucumbers and onion and toss to coat. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes, or until the liquid is hot but not quite boiling. Remove and let stand until cool enough to handle.
-
Transfer the pickles and liquid to a storage container. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. They will keep in the refrigerator for several months.
The Well-Filled Microwave Cookbook, 1996