Sweet Cucumber Pickle.

My brother-in-law gave me some home - grown cucumbers.
I love making pickle but my husband can't stand the smell of it cooking.
This time he set up the camping stove and sent me out to the shed.
Funny he says the kitchen is all mine - so how come I'm not allowed to cook in it?!

This is a Katie Stewart recipe for sweet cucumber pickle:

2 medium onions             Fills 3 x 300 ml (1/2 pint) jars
2 large cucumbers
50g sea salt
350ml cider vinegar
350g granulated sugar
1 level tsp ground turmeric
1 level tbsp yellow mustard seed
2 level tsp celery seed or dill seed

The day before you plan to make the pickle, peel and slice the onions. Wash the cucumbers but do not peel them, slice thinly and place in a bowl with the onions and the salt.
Mix together and leave to stand for 24 hours. Pour away the salty liquid that accumulates. Rinse the vegetables in a colander under running cold water and drain very thoroughly.
Put the vinegar, sugar and spices in a large pan then take yourself off to the shed.  
Stir over a low heat to dissolve the sugar.

Add the cucumber and onion mixture and bring to a simmer.

Cook gently for 2 minutes then remove from the heat.
You can even relax in a garden chair while it's cooking!

I moved to the utility room for the bottling.

With a perforated spoon, scoop the vegetables and spices into jars, leaving the syrup in the pan.
Return syrup to the heat and boil for 5 minutes to concentrate flavour.
Pour hot syrup over vegetables - there should be sufficient to cover. Seal with lids while hot.

Good straightaway, but will keep for up to a year.

The smell of the pickle cooking was quite overpowering, so this time I think maybe my husband was right to send me out to the shed. Not sure about Health and Safety though!