Ingredients
Cucumber
- 1large cucumber, about 400 g
- 1 tspsalt
Pickle
- 100 mlättika 12% vinegar, or 250 ml white wine vinegar
- 200 gsugar
- 300 mlwater
- 1 tspwhite peppercorns, cracked
To finish
- 1large bunch dill or parsley, chopped
Directions
- Slice the cucumber as thinly as you possibly can — a mandoline is the right tool. Thick slices stay watery in the middle and never take up the pickle.
- Toss the slices with the salt and leave them in a colander for 30 minutes, then press out the water with your hands or between two plates.
- Stir the sugar into the vinegar and water until fully dissolved. Do not heat it: this is a cold pickle, and a hot brine cooks the slices limp.
- The proportions are the Swedish one-two-three rule — one part vinegar, two parts sugar, three parts water — measured by volume, and it is worth remembering because it works for every household pickle in the country.
- Pour the cold pickle over the pressed cucumber with the cracked white pepper.
- Refrigerate at least four hours, or overnight.
- Stir the chopped dill or parsley through just before serving, not before storing. Herbs left in the jar go slimy and grey within a day.
- Serve alongside meatballs, roast meat or fried falukorv. It keeps a week in the fridge.
Technique
- Paper-thin slices, salted and pressed.
- Cold pickle, never heated.
- Herbs at the last minute.
Substitutions
- White wine vinegar at 2.5 parts if you cannot get Swedish ättika, adjusting the water down.
- Thinly sliced red onion added, which is common.
- Less sugar for a sharper pickle, though the sweetness is characteristic.
Variations
- Pressgurka, the same cucumber salted and pressed with vinegar and no long steep.
- The Danish agurkesalat is nearly identical.
History
A Swedish household pickle served with meatballs and Sunday roasts, made fresh rather than long kept.
Frequently asked questions
What is Inlagd gurka?
Inlagd gurka is a fermented & pickled from Sweden: thin cucumber slices in sweet vinegar with parsley, beside meatballs. A Swedish household pickle served with meatballs and Sunday roasts, made fresh rather than long kept.
How long does Inlagd gurka take to make?
Inlagd gurka takes 20 min plus 4 hours of preparation and 5 min of cooking. The recipe makes fills a 500 ml jar. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Inlagd gurka?
Yes, within limits. White wine vinegar at 2.5 parts if you cannot get Swedish ättika, adjusting the water down. Thinly sliced red onion added, which is common. Less sugar for a sharper pickle, though the sweetness is characteristic.
What is the most important thing to get right in Inlagd gurka?
Slice the cucumber as thinly as you possibly can — a mandoline is the right tool. Thick slices stay watery in the middle and never take up the pickle.
