www.roanoke.com

After last week's blog entry about pickles, reader Connie wrote in with a few questions about pickles. I went in search of her answers and here's what I discovered:

Q: Isn't there such a thing as refrigerator pickles? I don't want to can five quarts of pickles, just make one jar.

A: Yes, there is a such thing as refrigerator pickles. A quick Google search turned up an array of different recipes, including both dill and sweet versions. Many of the recipes look a lot like the sliced cucumbers with vinegar and sugar that many Southerners like to prepare as a salad/side dish in the summertime. But with enough vinegar, I guess you can let them keep in jars in the refrigerator for a long period of time. I will paste a few of the recipes I found below the jump.

Q: Also, what is the difference between dill and Polish dill pickles? And why are the Polish dills so hard to find?

A: This is a good question. It was a lot harder to find an answer for this one than the previous question. In fact, I'm still not sure I know the difference. One source says the only difference is that the Polish dill pickles are made in Poland. Another says the Polish dills are spicier than Kosher dills because they have garlic and other seasonings in them. Yet another source says Polish dills are made without vinegar. Instead they are made using natural fermentation and a special brine.

My guess is that it's a combination of all three. Probably, this pickle recipe originated in Poland. And the authentic ones are probably not made with vinegar but with some kind of salt brine. And perhaps they are even a little more flavorful than your average dill pickle. Most interesting to me, however, is that when I Googled "Polish dill pickle," I got all of these recipes for a Polish dill pickle soup. Apparently, it's quite the experience. I'll paste one of those recipes below the jump.

Q: Wonder why you can't buy bread and butter pickle relish. B and B pickles are much better in tuna salad, egg salad, and ham salad.

A: I always thought bread and butter relish was basically the same thing as sweet pickle relish, but now I think bread and butter relish is a little sweeter. I have not been able to find a recipe for bread and butter relish. Have you tried mincing bread and butter pickles for your salads? I know that's a bit of a pain when you could just spoon it out of a jar.

REFRIGERATOR BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

3 c. sugar
3 c. vinegar
1/3 c. canning salt
1 tbsp. mustard seed
1 tbsp. celery seed
1 tbsp. turmeric

Wash slicing cucumbers and slice thin. Layer in glass jars with onion as desired. Combine above ingredients - sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed and turmeric. Heat slightly until sugar is dissolved. Let cool, then pour over cucumber slices. Cover and keep refrigerated. Let stand a day before starting to use.

FRESH REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

3 large cucumbers
1 bell pepper (green or red)
1 onion
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons celery seed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar

Wash and scrub cucumbers. Slice into a medium sized bowl, leaving peel on, about 1/8" thick. Wash and remove seeds from pepper; remove skin from onion and scrub well under cold running water. Finely chop the onion and pepper; add to cucumbers. Sprinkle with salt and celery seed. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour.

In a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil then remove immediately from heat. Stir in sugar, stirring until dissolved. Allow to cool, then pour over cucumbers (after they have been sitting for 1 hour, as above).

Mix well; cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

AUNT SYBLE'S REFRIGERATED PICKLES

7 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
2 cups sugar
1 cup sliced onions
1 cup red vinegar
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon of canning salt

Combine all ingredients together in a gallon jar, Place in Refrigerator, will keep until gone!

Source: All three recipes above are from www.cooks.com

Polish Dill Pickle Soup

Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 large garlic dill pickles, about 3 cups chopped
2/3 cup liquid from pickle jar or water
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
Salt and black pepper
Sugar to taste, if desired
Chopped fresh dill for garnish, if desired

Preparation:

1. Melt butter in a large pot. Saute onion until translucent, about 3 minutes.

2. Add broth, pickles, pickle liquid and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Blend flour with sour cream. Temper sour cream mixture with a little hot soup. Pour tempered sour cream into hot soup, whisking constantly until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning, adding sugar if desired. Note: At this point, the soup can be left chunky or pureed to the velvety consistency of vichyssoise.

4. Serve in heated bowls garnished with chopped fresh dill, if desired.

Source: www.about.com on Eastern European foods.