Spicy Refrigerated Dill Pickles

Spicy Refrigerated Dill Pickles

A big shout out goes to Gail at snapshotsincursive for prompting me to head to my local farmer’s market and pick up some pickling cucumbers. It was a beautiful day to stroll around the market! I also scored some garlic scapes, which I hear are great grilled and will be grilling those up tonight too to go with some BBQ beef.

I pretty much used my Spicy Dilly Pickle recipe for this, but used crushed red pepper flakes instead of dried red chiles as I didn’t have any. I also used fresh dill from my herb garden! I’ll be bringing a jar or two of these to my friends I am visiting on the coast tomorrow for a couple of days as a housewarming gift. (I’m also bringing a beautiful summer squash I also picked up.)

Do like I did and get out to your local farmer’s market now and pick up some great fresh veggies and fruits that are now available!

Spicy Refrigerated Dill Pickles

About 2 pounds fresh pickling cucumbers
1 clove of garlic per jar, peeled
1/8 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes per jar
Small handful of fresh dill, per jar
1/2 teaspoon black or mixed peppercorns per jar
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed per jar
5 cups water
5 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup of pickling salt

Wash and dry 4 pint canning jars. Cut the ends of the cucumbers and slice them in half. Drop the garlic cloves, chile flakes, dill, peppercorns, and mustard seed in each jar, then pack the cucumbers lengthwise over them. Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil then pour it over the cucumbers. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight. Keep in refrigerator and use within 2 to 3 weeks. Crunch!

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Golden Shrimp Stock

Golden Shrimp Stock

A few months ago I decided to stop composting shrimp shells and tails and started freezing them. I love to make homemade chicken, turkey, and beef stock, so why not shrimp stock?

It took many a meals to get enough for this batch, but it sure was worth it! I made some delicious shrimp risotto with part of it (recipe to come at a future date) and plan on using the rest in either an Asian-style soup or perhaps some gumbo. What would you use shrimp stock in? I’d love to hear your ideas!

UPDATE! How silly of me. Happy Halloween! This is me in my costume that won at my workplace yesterday. My not-so-evil-grinning Wednesday Addams.

Wednesday Addams Halloween Costume

Golden Shrimp Stock
Adapted from emerils.com

4 to 5 ounces shrimp shells and tails
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
5 cups water
1/4 cup each chopped onions, celery, and carrots
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 small bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
Dash of salt
1 sprig fresh thyme (or large pinch dried)
Large pinch of dried parsley

Rinse the shells and tails in a colander and set aside to drain.

Thawed and Rinsed Shrimp Shells and Tails

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp shells and tails and stir around and cook until the shells are a bright pink, about 5 minutes.

Cooked Shrimp Shells

Add the water and the rest of the ingredients. Turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat until the stock is at a low simmer, then continue simmering for about an hour more.

Simmering Shrimp Stock

Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve (mine was also lined with additional cotton mesh) into a heatproof container. Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to three days until use. The stock can also be frozen in zip-top freezer bags for future use.

Straining the Shrimp Stock

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