Pickled French Beans Recipe

Ingredients for Pickled French Beans:

• 2 lbs (900 g) French Beans
• 2 medium sized onions
• 1¾ pints (1 litre) white wine vinegar
• 4 oz (112 g) demerara sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons dill seed

Method for Pickled French Beans:

1. Peel and thinly slice the onions and, in a medium size stainless steel or enamelled saucepan, mix them with the vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the salt, peeled garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns and dill seed.
2. Heat on the hob and gradually bring the liquid to the boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes.
3. Top and tail the beans and half fill another medium-sized saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the remaining salt and the beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove pan from the heat and drain the beans.
4. Put the beans, upright, into dry, clean, sterilized jars and set aside.
5. Remove the vinegar mixture from the heat.  Strain. Pour into the jars over the beans up to the top of the jars.
6. Cover and seal.
7. Label with contents and date once fully cool.
8. Store in a cool, dark place until required.

Makes about 4 lb (1.8 kg) of pickled French beans.

This pickle, kept in properly sterilized and sealed jars, should keep for a year in a cool dark place. Once opened, keep in the fridge and try to use within 4 weeks.

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