My love of Cornichons came from growing up in a German household. We snacked on braunschwiger and dill pickles. Braunschwiger is a yummy pate-like liver sausage that can be served in a sandwich, on toast, or my fave, on crackers.
Later in life, I found goose liver pate and experimented with accompaniments. I tried various pickles, but I kept coming back to Cornichons. Their size is deceptive...seemingly cute and innocent, they pack a very tart punch that serves as a great palate refresher between bites of rich pate. (And if you are in Portland, a great place for a bit of pate and an outstanding cocktail is the bar at the Heathman Hotel).
Recently, I discovered a grower that had exactly two Cornichon starts...after recovering from my faint I quickly grabbed them up and brought them home (go to Gardener to Farmer for the full story). Now, they are waiting patiently for a warm enough planting date. Yes, it is freezing here in Portland and our whole growing season is behind.
In anticipation of my first harvest, I am researching canning methods. There are two primary ways to preserve something through canning. The hot pack way utilizes heat and partial cooking of the vegetable to ensure a longer shelf life. The cold pack way doesn't last as long, but preserves any crisp characteristics of the produce.
I am madly in love with crispy pickles...as in, we are dating and about to get married...but sadly,I have only found ma petite cornishon preserved with heat. In fact, I usually find them for a great price at Trader Joe's. Of course, you can find other versions in specialty food stores...and online at places like Gormet Food Store for about 8 times the price. Whether or not the quality and taste varies that greatly can be debated...and preferably by someone other than me. I don't have time to stand around debating when there are great pickles to eat!!
I found an outstanding post on L'Atelier Vert, a French gardening website...
Cornichons
Ingredients:
2 lbs. garden fresh cornichon cucumbers
3 T. pure coarse sea salt or kosher salt
12 fresh pearl onions, peeled
1 qt. (approx.) white wine vinegar
Black peppercorns
Fresh tarragon sprigs
Mustard seeds (optional)
Fresh grapevine leaves
Gently
wash and rub the spines off the cucumbers. They should be only 1-2
inches long. Place them in a colander and toss with the salt. Leave to
drain 4 hours (more or less). Rinse and drain.
Sterilize a
potful of pint or half-pint jars and their lids by placing them upside
down in a pot of water, covering and boiling for 10 minutes. Add a
splash of vinegar to the water if your water is hard. (This recipe
makes about 4 pints, depending on how densely you pack the cucumbers.)
Bring the vinegar to a vigorous simmer or low boil.
Without
touching the inside of the jars, place 1/2-1 teaspoon of peppercorns,
half a teaspoon mustard seeds (if using), and large spring of tarragon
in the bottom of the jar. Add a fresh washed grape vine leaf if
available. (Wild grape leaves work fine; the grape leaves keep the
cornichons much crisper.) Add 2-3 pearl onions and cucumbers to within
3/4 inch of the top. Cover with hot vinegar. Wipe the rim and screw
down the lid, handling the lid with tongs to remove it from the water.
Store in a cool dark place for at least one month before devouring.
Note:
The cornichons will still be good--just not as crisp--without the grape
leaves. I never process these pickles. Being in pure vinegar, they
don't need it, and processing them would turn the tender little cukes
to mush. Don't substitute white grain vinegar for white wine vinegar.
Believe it or not, no one in France makes cornichons because excellent
ones are available in absolutely every food store.
OK, so a) we are not in France b) I like to try making my own everything, at least until I am satisfied that it doesn't taste any better when I make it myself and c) I am striving to keep my eating local, and there isn't anything more local than my backyard!
Let me know if you have any experience growing and canning your own Cornichons...I would love to hear about it!
