Rauginti agurkai

Ingredients

Cucumbers

• 2 kgsmall pickling cucumbers, firm and unwaxed

Brine

• 2 litreswater
• 100 gcoarse non-iodised salt — 5% of the water’s weight

Aromatics

• 1large bunch dill with flower crowns
• 1 piecehorseradish root, sliced
• 8blackcurrant leaves
• 6cherry or oak leaves
• 1 headgarlic, cloves peeled
• 1 tbspblack peppercorns

Directions

1. Soak the cucumbers in ice-cold water for four hours, then trim a sliver off the blossom end of each — that end carries the enzyme that turns a whole jar soft.
2. Dissolve the salt completely in the water. Weigh it: 5% is what protects the jar in the days before the bacteria build enough acid to protect it themselves.
3. Line the jar with half the dill, horseradish and leaves, pack the cucumbers upright, and tuck the garlic, peppercorns and remaining aromatics among them.
4. Pour over the brine so everything sits 3 cm below the surface and weight the cucumbers down.
5. Cover loosely and leave at cool room temperature for one to two weeks. It will cloud and bubble; skim any white film off the surface as it appears.
6. They are ready when sour all the way through and olive rather than bright green inside.
7. Move somewhere cold, where they keep for months.
8. Serve with boiled potatoes and cold meat — and drink the brine cold the morning after a wedding, which is what Lithuanians actually do with it.

Technique

• Trim the blossom ends and use the tannin leaves. Both, every time.
• Everything under the brine.
• The brine is not a byproduct. It is drunk, and it is the reason many households make these at all.

Substitutions

• Grape or horseradish leaves in place of blackcurrant.
• A splash of brine from a working jar to start it faster.

Variations

• The Latvian skābēti gurķi and Estonian hapukurk are the same preserve.
• Small green tomatoes fermented in the same brine alongside.

History

Lithuanian households ferment barrels each summer, and the brine itself is drunk as a hangover cure.

Frequently asked questions

What is Rauginti agurkai?

Rauginti agurkai is a fermented & pickled from Lithuania: cucumbers soured in brine with dill and horseradish, eaten with potatoes. Lithuanian households ferment barrels each summer, and the brine itself is drunk as a hangover cure.

How long does Rauginti agurkai take to make?

Rauginti agurkai takes 30 min plus 1 to 2 weeks fermenting of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes fills a 3-litre jar. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Rauginti agurkai?

Yes, within limits. Grape or horseradish leaves in place of blackcurrant. A splash of brine from a working jar to start it faster.

What is the most important thing to get right in Rauginti agurkai?

They are ready when sour all the way through and olive rather than bright green inside.