These were given as a garnish for the Bloody Mary recipe I linked to
earlier from the L.A. Times. For those with a backyard harvest or a
good farmers' market, these also look like a great refrigerator
munchie even if you're skipping the drinks.

Spicy pickled green beans

1 pound green beans, trimmed

1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
8 garlic cloves, chopped
8 fresh dill sprigs, chopped
4 bay leaves

1. Boil the beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool
in a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside in a shallow baking dish.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and bring to a
boil. Cook for 1 minute, stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.

3. Pour the vinegar solution over the beans to cover completely.
Marinate, refrigerated for at least 24 hours. The beans will keep
refrigerated for 3 to 4 weeks.

Note on the last two sentences: it's not clear to me whether you
drain the beans before storing them for the longer term, or store them
in the pickling juice. Which would you do? -aem

On Aug 27, 5:32*pm, aem > wrote:
> These were given as a garnish for the Bloody Mary recipe I linked to
> earlier from the L.A. Times. *For those with a backyard harvest or a
> good farmers' market, these also look like a great refrigerator
> munchie even if you're skipping the drinks.
>
> Spicy pickled green beans
>
> 1 pound green beans, trimmed
>
> 1 cup red wine vinegar
> 1/2 cup cider vinegar
> 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
> 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
> 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
> 2 tablespoons salt
> 1 tablespoon sugar
> 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
> 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
> 8 garlic cloves, chopped
> 8 fresh dill sprigs, chopped
> 4 bay leaves
>
> 1. Boil the beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool
> in a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside in a shallow baking dish.
>
> 2. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and bring to a
> boil. *Cook for 1 minute, stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
>
> 3. Pour the vinegar solution over the beans to cover completely.
> Marinate, refrigerated for at least 24 hours. *The beans will keep
> refrigerated for 3 to 4 weeks.
>
> Note on the last two sentences: *it's not clear to me whether you
> drain the beans before storing them for the longer term, or store them
> in the pickling juice. *Which would you do? *-aem

I'm gonna make these but not use that much crushed red peppers, I
will leave the "juice" on the beans - otherwise they will wrinkle up
and start looking like the Wicked Witch's Dead Green Fingers.
(What a good idea for Halloween!)
Lynn in Fargo
Nearing the end of affordable fresh green bean season . . .

"aem" > wrote in message
...
> These were given as a garnish for the Bloody Mary recipe I linked to
> earlier from the L.A. Times. For those with a backyard harvest or a
> good farmers' market, these also look like a great refrigerator
> munchie even if you're skipping the drinks.
>
> Spicy pickled green beans
>
> 1 pound green beans, trimmed
>
> 1 cup red wine vinegar
> 1/2 cup cider vinegar
> 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
> 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
> 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
> 2 tablespoons salt
> 1 tablespoon sugar
> 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
> 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
> 8 garlic cloves, chopped
> 8 fresh dill sprigs, chopped
> 4 bay leaves
>
> 1. Boil the beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool
> in a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside in a shallow baking dish.
>
> 2. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and bring to a
> boil. Cook for 1 minute, stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
>
> 3. Pour the vinegar solution over the beans to cover completely.
> Marinate, refrigerated for at least 24 hours. The beans will keep
> refrigerated for 3 to 4 weeks.
>
> Note on the last two sentences: it's not clear to me whether you
> drain the beans before storing them for the longer term, or store them
> in the pickling juice. Which would you do? -aem
>

When I have made dilly beans, I've processed the jars. They keep
unrefrigerated for a very long time, just like any other pickled and canned
item.

"aem" > wrote in message
...
> These were given as a garnish for the Bloody Mary recipe I linked to
> earlier from the L.A. Times. For those with a backyard harvest or a
> good farmers' market, these also look like a great refrigerator
> munchie even if you're skipping the drinks.
>
> Spicy pickled green beans
>
> 1 pound green beans, trimmed
>
> 1 cup red wine vinegar
> 1/2 cup cider vinegar
> 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
> 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
> 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
> 2 tablespoons salt
> 1 tablespoon sugar
> 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
> 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
> 8 garlic cloves, chopped
> 8 fresh dill sprigs, chopped
> 4 bay leaves
>
> 1. Boil the beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool
> in a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside in a shallow baking dish.
>
> 2. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and bring to a
> boil. Cook for 1 minute, stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
>
> 3. Pour the vinegar solution over the beans to cover completely.
> Marinate, refrigerated for at least 24 hours. The beans will keep
> refrigerated for 3 to 4 weeks.
>
> Note on the last two sentences: it's not clear to me whether you
> drain the beans before storing them for the longer term, or store them
> in the pickling juice. Which would you do? -aem
>

I didn't read the recipe all the way through, and so missed the part about
the baking dish.

What I would do is skip the part where they cook the beans. I would wash and
trim them, and put stand them up in the tall, slim variety of canning jar
that hold 12 ounces, among which I had previously distributed the spices,
garlic, and herbs. Bring the vinegars. sugar and salt to a boil and pour
over the beans in the jar leaving 1/4 head space. Put lids and screw tops on
the jars, and move them to a canning pot half filled with boiling water.
Fill with more boiling water until the jars are submerged by 2 " or more,
and process at a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool, and
let mellow for a couple of weeks. They will last a long time and do not need
to be refrigerated. They will also be quite crisp.

Janet > wrote:

> What I would do is skip the part where they cook the beans.

I've tried pickling barely-blanched green beans and they didn't suck
up any of the marinade. Even after 2 months.

Cooking them for 3 minutes is a must, IMO. Been there, done that.

> I would wash and
> trim them, and put stand them up in the tall, slim variety of canning jar
> that hold 12 ounces, among which I had previously distributed the spices,
> garlic, and herbs. Bring the vinegars. sugar and salt to a boil and pour
> over the beans in the jar leaving 1/4 head space. Put lids and screw tops on
> the jars, and move them to a canning pot half filled with boiling water.
> Fill with more boiling water until the jars are submerged by 2 " or more,
> and process at a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool, and
> let mellow for a couple of weeks. They will last a long time and do not need
> to be refrigerated. They will also be quite crisp.

I don't think a 5 minute WB would help cook the beana sufficiently.

-sw

> "aem" > wrote in message
(snip)
> > 3. Pour the vinegar solution over the beans to cover completely.
> > Marinate, refrigerated for at least 24 hours. The beans will keep
> > refrigerated for 3 to 4 weeks.
> >
> > Note on the last two sentences: it's not clear to me whether you
> > drain the beans before storing them for the longer term, or store them
> > in the pickling juice. Which would you do? -aem

Leave them in the brine!! Absolutely.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, blahblahblog is back and
most recently updated last night, 8-17-2008. Fair entries are DONE!

In article >,
Sqwertz > wrote:

> I don't think a 5 minute WB would help cook the beana sufficiently.
>
> -sw

Cooking them isn't in the plan, Steve. Think pickle--like a pickled
cucumber. You don't want them "cooked."
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, blahblahblog is back and
most recently updated last night, 8-17-2008. Fair entries are DONE!

Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> In article >,
> Sqwertz > wrote:
>
>> I don't think a 5 minute WB would help cook the beana sufficiently.
>
> Cooking them isn't in the plan, Steve. Think pickle--like a pickled
> cucumber. You don't want them "cooked."

And I'm telling you they don't suck up any brine unless you par-cook
them - for at least 4 minutes - first.

-sw

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> Sqwertz > wrote:
>>
>>> I don't think a 5 minute WB would help cook the beana sufficiently.
>>
>> Cooking them isn't in the plan, Steve. Think pickle--like a pickled
>> cucumber. You don't want them "cooked."
>
> And I'm telling you they don't suck up any brine unless you par-cook
> them - for at least 4 minutes - first.
>
> -sw
Just not true.

Sqwertz > wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> Sqwertz > wrote:
>>
>>> I don't think a 5 minute WB would help cook the beana sufficiently.
>>
>> Cooking them isn't in the plan, Steve. Think pickle--like a pickled
>> cucumber. You don't want them "cooked."
>
> And I'm telling you they don't suck up any brine unless you par-cook
> them - for at least 4 minutes - first.

So don't argue with me, dammit! What would you know about pickling,
anyway?

-sw

Janet > wrote:

> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>>
>>> In article >,
>>> Sqwertz > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I don't think a 5 minute WB would help cook the beana sufficiently.
>>>
>>> Cooking them isn't in the plan, Steve. Think pickle--like a pickled
>>> cucumber. You don't want them "cooked."
>>
>> And I'm telling you they don't suck up any brine unless you par-cook
>> them - for at least 4 minutes - first.
>
> Just not true.

True. I've tried it twice without success. All *you* did was
speculate on 'what you would do' without ever having done it.

-sw

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> Janet > wrote:
>
>> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>>>
>>>> In article >,
>>>> Sqwertz > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I don't think a 5 minute WB would help cook the beana sufficiently.
>>>>
>>>> Cooking them isn't in the plan, Steve. Think pickle--like a pickled
>>>> cucumber. You don't want them "cooked."
>>>
>>> And I'm telling you they don't suck up any brine unless you par-cook
>>> them - for at least 4 minutes - first.
>>
>> Just not true.
>
> True. I've tried it twice without success. All *you* did was
> speculate on 'what you would do' without ever having done it.
>
> -sw

I have made pickles of all sorts, including dilly beans, for many years. I
have NEVER precooked pickled beans and they have ALWAYS been outstanding. So
don't tell me that I have never done it.

Janet > wrote:

> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Janet > wrote:
>>
>>> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> In article >,
>>>>> Sqwertz > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I don't think a 5 minute WB would help cook the beana sufficiently.
>>>>>
>>>>> Cooking them isn't in the plan, Steve. Think pickle--like a pickled
>>>>> cucumber. You don't want them "cooked."
>>>>
>>>> And I'm telling you they don't suck up any brine unless you par-cook
>>>> them - for at least 4 minutes - first.
>>>
>>> Just not true.
>>
>> True. I've tried it twice without success. All *you* did was
>> speculate on 'what you would do' without ever having done it.
>
> I have made pickles of all sorts, including dilly beans, for many years. I
> have NEVER precooked pickled beans and they have ALWAYS been outstanding. So
> don't tell me that I have never done it.

That's not the way you presented it earlier in the thread.

You must have some of those magic beans.

-sw