Kovászos uborka

Ingredients

Cucumbers

• 1.5 kgsmall pickling cucumbers, firm and unwaxed

Brine

• 2 litreswater
• 60 gcoarse non-iodised salt — 3% of the water’s weight

The rest

• 1large bunch dill with flower crowns
• 1 headgarlic, cloves peeled
• 1thick slice of rye or sourdough bread
• 1 tspblack peppercorns

Directions

1. Cut a deep slit lengthwise down each cucumber, stopping short of both ends so it stays in one piece. This is what lets the brine into the middle and is why kovászos uborka is ready in days rather than weeks.
2. Dissolve the salt in the water — 3% here rather than the 5% of a long winter pickle, because this one ferments fast and is eaten within a fortnight.
3. Lay half the dill in the bottom of a wide jar, pack the cucumbers in upright, and tuck the garlic and peppercorns among them with the rest of the dill on top.
4. Pour over the brine so the cucumbers are covered, then lay the slice of bread on the surface. The bread is the starter — its wild yeasts and lactic bacteria get the ferment going within hours, which is the whole trick.
5. Cover the jar with a plate or a cloth rather than sealing it, and stand it outside in full sun, or on the sunniest windowsill you have.
6. Leave three to five days in real summer heat. The brine will go cloudy and the bread will break up and sink. Take the bread out on day two so it does not disintegrate entirely.
7. They are ready when the brine is cloudy and sharply sour and the cucumbers have turned olive-green through. Fish one out and taste from day three.
8. Move to the fridge, where they keep about two weeks. Drink the brine cold — that is half the point.

Technique

• This is a fast summer ferment at a low salt level, and it depends on real heat. In a cool kitchen it will take a week and is far more likely to go wrong.
• Eat them within two weeks. At 3% salt they are not a keeping pickle and were never meant to be.
• Remove the bread after a day or two. Left in, it turns the brine to sludge.

Substitutions

• A splash of brine from a working jar in place of the bread, if you would rather not use it.
• Horseradish root added with the garlic, which keeps them a little firmer.

Variations

• The brine alone is drunk cold as a hangover cure and used in soups.
• A winter version at 5% salt in a cellar takes weeks and keeps for months, which is a different pickle.

History

Jars of cucumbers, dill and a slice of rye bread stand in the sun for days; a summer ferment rather than a vinegar pickle.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kovászos uborka?

Kovászos uborka is a fermented & pickled from Hungary: cucumbers soured in the summer sun with bread and dill. Jars of cucumbers, dill and a slice of rye bread stand in the sun for days; a summer ferment rather than a vinegar pickle.

How long does Kovászos uborka take to make?

Kovászos uborka takes 20 min plus 3 to 5 days in the sun 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 Kovászos uborka?

Yes, within limits. A splash of brine from a working jar in place of the bread, if you would rather not use it. Horseradish root added with the garlic, which keeps them a little firmer.

What is the most important thing to get right in Kovászos uborka?

Cut a deep slit lengthwise down each cucumber, stopping short of both ends so it stays in one piece. This is what lets the brine into the middle and is why kovászos uborka is ready in days rather than weeks.