Chili-dilly pickled beans

Another great small-batch preserving recipe!

When I spotted these gorgeous purple beans at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market, I was tempted to buy a whole bushel. I adore beans and their vibrant colour made them extra alluring. My enthusiasm was tempered when the vendor explained that they lose a lot of their purple hue when cooked, so I restrained myself and bought just a pint to do some small-batch preserving. The photo below shows the beans immediately after canning; they did lose some of their colour as they brined but they still look ever so pretty and are very tasty as well! Using dill seeds instead of fresh dill is a great way to make a mid-winter batch of these quick pickled beans.

Ingredients

• 1 pint fresh beans (purple, green or yellow)
• 2 cloves garlic, bruised
• 4 heads dill or 1 tablespoon (15 mL) dill seed
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) chili flakes
• 1 cup (250 mL) water
• 1 cup (250 mL) cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) coarse salt

Method

• Wash beans well to remove any dirt.
• Pack beans tightly into two 2 cup (500 mL) canning jars which have been meticulously cleaned. Add garlic, dill and chili flakes evenly to both jars, interspersing with beans.
• In a glass measure in the microwave, or in a small pot on the stove, heat water, vinegar and salt until boiling. Stir to dissolve salt.
• Pour hot brine over beans and seal jars. If you don’t have enough brine, top jars up with water.
• Let cool to room temperature then refrigerate.
• Beans will be ready to eat in 24 hours and can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.

Makes two 500 mL jars.