Asier

Ingredients

Cucumber

• 2large overgrown cucumbers, about 1.5 kg
• 3 tbspcoarse salt

Pickle

• 500 mlwhite vinegar
• 250 mlwater
• 400 gsugar
• 1 tbspmustard seed
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 1 tspwhole allspice
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 2bay leaves

Directions

1. Peel the cucumbers, halve them lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and the soft core with a spoon. The core is mostly water and will turn to mush in the jar; this is why asier is made from big cucumbers rather than small ones.
2. Cut the flesh into thick strips or chunks, toss with the salt and leave in a colander overnight with a plate on top. A great deal of water will drain away.
3. The next day rinse the cucumber briefly and pat it dry. Do not skip the drying — water clinging to it dilutes the pickle.
4. Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seed, peppercorns, allspice, turmeric and bay to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer five minutes.
5. Add the cucumber and cook for just 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns translucent at the edges but still has real bite. Longer and it goes limp.
6. Lift the cucumber into sterilised jars with a slotted spoon, packing it in, then boil the pickle hard for two minutes and pour it over boiling hot to cover.
7. Seal at once and leave two weeks before opening. It keeps a year unopened; refrigerate once opened.
8. Slice and serve with roast pork, frikadeller and leverpostej.

Technique

• The overnight salting is what keeps the cucumber firm. Skipped, it is watery and soft within a fortnight.
• Three to four minutes in the pickle, no more. This is the step people overcook.
• It is meant to be properly sweet. Cutting the sugar makes a different pickle, not a healthier asier.

Substitutions

• Marrow or courgette, both of which are pickled this way when they grow too big.
• Cider vinegar for white, which is rounder.

Variations

• A version with sliced onion in the jar alongside the cucumber.
• Some households add a dried chilli, which is not traditional but suits the sweetness.

History

A Danish larder staple made from overgrown cucumbers, standard alongside roast pork and frikadeller.

Frequently asked questions

What is Asier?

Asier is a fermented & pickled from Denmark: peeled cucumber pickled sweet and sour, sliced onto pork and meatballs. A Danish larder staple made from overgrown cucumbers, standard alongside roast pork and frikadeller.

How long does Asier take to make?

Asier takes 30 min plus overnight salting and 2 weeks of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes fills 2 × 500 ml jars. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Asier?

Yes, within limits. Marrow or courgette, both of which are pickled this way when they grow too big. Cider vinegar for white, which is rounder.

What is the most important thing to get right in Asier?

Peel the cucumbers, halve them lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and the soft core with a spoon. The core is mostly water and will turn to mush in the jar; this is why asier is made from big cucumbers rather than small ones.