APPLE CUCUMBER PICKLE

Not really a salad, not a side dish either.   In the International tradition of a little something extra on the table—roasted olives with bits of lemon peel, tiny tortellini with a splash of marinara, chopitos on a tapas plate, dolma on a mezze platter.  Sometimes with cocktails or wine, sometimes as part of a whole meal, these small plates add spice and variety to a shared meal.  This apple cucumber pickle is a traditional Korean recipe—one of many versions.

• ½ lb Kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/8” thick
• ½ Granny Smith apple, sliced 1/8” thick
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar a good substitute)
• 1 tblsp very thin matchsticks peeled ginger
• Red pepper flakes (or Korean red hot pepper threads)

Toss sliced cucumbers with salt and let sit for 30 minutes.  Put all the rest of the ingredients in a quart jar with tight lid and shake well until sugar is dissolved.  Wring out excess liquid from cucumbers and add to jar.  Shake to thoroughly mix apples and cucumbers.  Add crumpled wax paper to space above liquid in jar to submerge apples and cucumbers.  Refrigerate overnight. 

The Kitchen Hive