Bread and Butter Cucumber pickle

This pickle is so-called because it is so good that you can have it just with bread and butter! I got it from a friend in west Clare (thanks Teresa!) many years ago, and it was unearthed recently in a trawl through old recipe books.  Make it when cucumbers are in season and it is a very inexpensive treat to have later in the year. However, it doesnt need a long time to mature, so you can try it 24 hours after making it. Apologies for the mix of metric and imperial measures!

1 kg cucumber

8 oz white onions

2 tablespoons of salt

8 oz of sugar

12 fluid oz of white wine (or malt) vinegar

1 tablespoon of mustard seeds

1 teaspoon of celery seeds (or you could use some chopped celery instead)

1 teaspoon turmeric

large pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli flakes

Method:

Slice cucumber finely.  Slice onions into rings.

Place both in a bowl, cover with salt and water and leave for two hours.

Put other ingredients into a large saucepan, cook until sugar melts and then add the cucumber mix, then mix together thoroughly and cook for 10 minutes - make sure that the whole mix comes fully to the boil for at least 5 minutes.

Allow to cool and jar, making sure to use containers suitable for preserving (either Kilner jars,  (or Ikea do similar jars) or jars with plastic coated tight-fitting lids.

Can keep for several months.