Easy Dill Pickles

I used regular large cucumbers from the farm to make these last summer and they turned out great! I cut them into 1/4 inch slices instead of the spears the recipe calls for.

1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds

1 tsp. fennel seeds

1 and 1/4 c. water

1 and 3/4 c. white vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

5 garlic cloves, smashed

1 T. salt

8 kirby cucumbers, quartered lengthwise into spears

1 c. chopped fresh dill

1. Toast the mustard and fennel seeds in a large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Combine the hot brine, cucumbers, and dill in a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

3. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and flavorful, about 10 hours. Drain well before serving.

To make ahead: The pickles can be refrigerated in their liquid, in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks. A canning method would preserve them longer.

Easy Bread-and-Butter Pickles

The recipe calls for Kirby cucumbers, but I used the giant ones we got from the farm this year and they were a big hit! I doubled the recipe with no problem.

1/4 tsp. yellow mustard seeds

1/4 tsp. fennel seeds

2 and 1/4 c. water

1 and 3/4 c. white vinegar

1 and 3/4 c. sugar

1 T. salt

3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

8 kirby cucumbers, sliced into  1/4-inch-thick rounds

1/2 onion, sliced thin

1. Toast the mustard and fennel seeds in a large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Combine the hot brine, cucumbers, and onion in a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

3. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and flavorful, at least 10 hours. Drain well and discard the bay leaves before serving.

To make ahead: The pickles can be refrigerated in their liquid, in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks. (You could also preserve them using a canning method.)