Long Green Things Shine

Lately those Shoreham residents lucky enough to have a veggie patch have been almost buried alive under an avalanche of beans, zucchinis and cucumbers.

Hardly surprising then that when the Pickles & Preserves group gathered in March to celebrate the abundance of the season, it became evident immediately that members had taken on the nominated theme- ‘Long Green Things’- with gusto.

As always, our recipes came from far and wide: some were passed down through families, courtesy of grandmothers who clearly knew their way around a preserving pot; others came from much-loved cookbooks now stained with years of good intentions.

There were also a few from that vast digital Google kitchen that is quickly making those well-thumbed texts and little filing boxes full of long-ago handwritten cards a thing of the past.  Plug in “zucchini + pickles” and up comes a dozen new ways to deal with the excess of the veggie garden. If that sounds horribly impersonal fear not. Then there’s the human touch with a little experimentation and a few tasting spoons to make each version uniquely our own.

Trying out the results together is one of the great joys of the group. This month, Lorraine’s generous cheese board and a glass or two of wine turned the evening into a relaxed mix of learning, laughter and delicious creativity. Members shared dill beans—a simple and flavourful way to preserve beans—along with zucchini relish, cucumber pickles, and zucchini pickles.

A highlight of the evening came from one member who brought along a gin-infused cucumber pickle, inspired by her family’s own local distillery. The verdict? Refreshingly crisp, with just the right hint of mischief.

Next month’s theme will be ’Red Things’, as we look forward to tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, and berries, whether from our gardens or the markets. We hope for plenty of bright colours and fresh flavours to fill our jars and our shelves for the months ahead.

CUCUMBER AND GIN PICKLES

Toss 500g of thinly sliced cucumbers with 2 teaspoons of cooking salt and leave for at least two hours.

Strain and discard the liquid.

Make a pickling liquid of 125ml of white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of caster sugar, half a teaspoon of salt and 3 tablespoons of water.

Heat in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved and bring to simmering point. 

Remove from the heat and add a few strips of lemon zest and half a teaspoon of lightly crushed juniper berries.

Let this sit for 20 minutes to cool down and allow the flavours to develop.

Add 125ml of gin.

Pack the cucumbers into two 300ml jars and pour the pickling liquid over the top. 

Allow the cucumber to pickle in the fridge for three days before tasting.  Eat within three months.