Different types of picles are an old culinary art to prepare vegetables for wintertime. Most traditional picles, especially those for long storing, are made with vinegar. However, Latvians have developed a taste for sour pickles, most traditionally used to prepare cucumbers and cabbages. Our picles are prepared in brine (salt + water) with natural (wild) fermentation that occurs spontenously and makes them slightly sour. And there is no vinegar added at all. Nowadays our brine fermentation traditions are kept for rich flavours it brings to our meals.
Brine fermented cucumbers are sold in all food markets and even biggest supermarkets in Riga. Look out for skābēti gurķi.
Typically, small (6-10 cm) freshly harvested field cucumbers are placed in a canning glass jar or like in old times in a wooden barrel, together with a variety of spices. The strength of brine varies in different recipes; it is recommended to use 40-50 grams of sea salt per 1 liter of water. Ready-made bouquets of pickling spices are sold at all farmers' markets in different shapes and sizes.
Among those traditionally used spices are garlic cloves, horseradish root and/or leaves, whole dill stems with umbels and green seeds, sour cherry leaves, blackcurrant leaves and/or young shoots. Sometimes tarragon sprigs are also added.
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| Garlic |
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| Horseradish leaves |
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| Horseradish roots |
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| Blackcurrant leaves |
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| Sour cherry leaves |
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| Dill stems |
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| Dill umbels |
The jar is filled with cucumbers and pickling spices
Naturally occurring Lactobacillus bacteria that normally cover the skin of a growing cucumber started its work.
Difference between fresh field cucumber and fermented one is notable.
cucumbers
50g (3 tablespoons) sea salt
boiling water
dill stems with umbels and green seeds
cherry leaves
blackcurrant leaves or young shoots
garlic cloves
horseradish leaves and/or root
For salt solution combine salt and boiling water and stir it until salt dissolves, then let it cool to room temperature.
Place at the buttom of canning jar dill stems and umbels, garlic cloves, fresh sour cherry and blackcurrant leaves, and slices of horseradish root. Then place the layer of cucumbers closely together with sides. On the top place additional layer of pickling spices and then again next layer of cucumbers. Finish the jar with layer of spices. The jar is then filled with cooled salt solution and kept under a non-airtight cover in a cool room temperature. If cucumbers are not huddled together or jar is not filled until the top and cucumbers start to float, stones are placed on top of the cucumbers to keep them under the salt solution. Length of fermentation depends on external temperature and cucumber size. The smaller cucumbers will be ready to eat first ones, so it is advisable to place them in a top layer. Avoid storing the jar in direct sunlight and summer heat. After few days salt solution becomes cloudy and small bubbles appears. It is purely natural process and indicates that Lactobacillus bacteria that normally cover the skin of a growing cucumber started its work. Also colour of cucumbers will change from bright green to dark green (in Latvian called moss green). Taste the cucumbers, eventually after 4-5 days they will be slightly sour. Move them to the cellar or fridge to slow down fermentation. In a 2 weeks cucumbers will have a pleasantly tangy sour flavor.
One quality prized in a good brine fermented pickle is an audible crunch.
Place at the buttom of canning jar dill stems and umbels, garlic cloves, fresh sour cherry and blackcurrant leaves, and slices of horseradish root. Then place the layer of cucumbers closely together with sides. On the top place additional layer of pickling spices and then again next layer of cucumbers. Finish the jar with layer of spices. The jar is then filled with cooled salt solution and kept under a non-airtight cover in a cool room temperature. If cucumbers are not huddled together or jar is not filled until the top and cucumbers start to float, stones are placed on top of the cucumbers to keep them under the salt solution. Length of fermentation depends on external temperature and cucumber size. The smaller cucumbers will be ready to eat first ones, so it is advisable to place them in a top layer. Avoid storing the jar in direct sunlight and summer heat. After few days salt solution becomes cloudy and small bubbles appears. It is purely natural process and indicates that Lactobacillus bacteria that normally cover the skin of a growing cucumber started its work. Also colour of cucumbers will change from bright green to dark green (in Latvian called moss green). Taste the cucumbers, eventually after 4-5 days they will be slightly sour. Move them to the cellar or fridge to slow down fermentation. In a 2 weeks cucumbers will have a pleasantly tangy sour flavor.
One quality prized in a good brine fermented pickle is an audible crunch.
Some additional tips:
Do not picle long cucumber varieties grown in greenhouses.
If cucumbers are not fresh, soak them for a couple of hours in very cold water to freshen them.
Rinse cucumbers, not to bruise them, and removing remaining blossoms.
Salt with added iodine is not suitable for brine and may spoil all your efforts.
Soft and unappealing cucumbers become because the brine is not salty enough or fermentation temperatre is too high.
For longer cucumber shelf-life (to keep for wintertime) stronger brine concentration is recommended.
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