Home Pickled Cornishons (Gherkins)

Cornishon Pickle

Turkish Style Cornishon Pickles Recipe 

Turkish pickles are very famous side dish and an integral staple of our Anatolian (Turkish) Cuisine. According to the Turkish People, a meal without Turkish Pickles is not complete. Especially, we consume it in winter days very much. When the late September, or early October days come, the large jars of glass and plastic reappear in the markets, groceries and bazaars. Why? Because famous Turkish Pickle (we call it "Turşu") is made by the Turkish people. Many famous pickle regions are being in Turkey. But Cubuk town (it is very close to Ankara city), is one of the Turkey's most famous pickle regions. According to historians; "Pickle (Turşu) culture in Turkey dates at least as far back as early Ottoman Empire times". Also you may like our Easy-white-cabbage-pickled-recipe

Turkish Pickle

In this post, we are going to share our very unique Turkish pickle recipe to you. It is "Turkish Style Cornishon Pickles". When the late Spring season and late Autumn season come small and fresh "Cornishons" or "Cucumber" or "Gherkins" appear in the markets and bazaars in Turkey. Yes, they actually appear twice year but if you are interested in pickling gherkins, you need to make the pickles with the last crop of "Cornishons" or "Cucumber" or "Gherkins" (Autumn crop). You may also like our Turkish-mixed-pickles-recipe

Yes! home made Turkish pickle takes time (but not too much time) and maybe you think that why we bussy with to make home pickled cornishons at home. And Yes! Fabrication (or Store bought) cornishons pickle and others are so incredibly cheap in the markets and groceries. But we love our moms' and grandmoms' recipe. We always love to have our own home pickled cornishons and actually it is a very quick process to pickle them.

Gherkins Pickle

How to Make Turkish Style Cornishons Pickle? 

In turkey, there are a lot of ways of making Turkish Pickle (Turşu) and every family has its own secret ingredients. Below is a step-by-step our way of making pickle (Turşu), taken from our mothers and grandmothers! Also, many pickle men in the pickle regions use our way too. Also you may like our super quick pickle : Quick-pickled-red-capia-peppers-recipe

Firstly, preparing of home pickled cornishons (gherkins) is not complicated. It is very easy and simple. You just watch out the couple important things, when you preparing this unique Turkish pickle; 

• Many Turkish pickle men in the Turkey said that "April / May cornishons (Spring crop) will not stay crunchy in its pickling juice whereas the September / October cornishons (Autumn crop) will still be good a year later in their jars." 
• Nice dark green and small gherkins are perfect for the Turkish pickle. According to Turkish Pickle men " When making these cornishons / gherkins, try to look for nice dark green gherkins and they should be quiet hard without any soft spots and preferably the ends of gherkins have not turned to yellow color". Also, size of cornishobs / gherkins are up to you. We prefer the smaller ones but if you want you can use larger ones because they are easier to cut up for sandwiches or salads.
• When you prepare your own homemade Turkish style cornishons pickle, the first thing you are going to have to do when you get them home is wash them. We generally soak them for about half an hour or 40 minutes. The next thing to do is trim any stems off them. Then you need rock salt, vinegar, lemon juice (lemon slices) and Garlic. That's it. - "Rock Salt, Vinegar and Garlic" are very important ingredients of Turkish Pickles. Ofcourse, if you want you can use sea salt instead of the rock salt. But, we always use rock salt. On the other hand, some pickle men support that lemon juice is better and very effective ingredient for the making Pickles. 
• Pickles juice should be prepared in the steel or aluminum pots or teflon pot.

Ingredients: wash gherkins and others well and
Couple of green peppers and parsley make your
Pickle well

Good quality vinegar make a good quality
Pickle

Clean your glass jars well!

Lemon juice, lemon salt, rock salt, chickpeas
Bay leaves are necessary for the pickle

Preparing gherkins pickle 

We soak the gherkins for 30 mintes

Process of gherkins pickle

Cover the bottom of jar with a layer of 
Chickpeas and bay leaves. Then fill it with the
Gherkins

Pickle juice: add rock salt and lemon salt

Pickle juice: add vinegar, lemon juice, sugar in 
Water and bring the water to the boil

Pour your pickle juice onto gherkins

Make sure all the pickles are covered with 
Pickle juice 

Close the lid of your jars tightly

Place them in a dark, dry and cool place

Leave your pickle for fermentation for about 
One month

Recipes of Turkish Style Cornishons Pickle

This recipe is really for a tasty pickle, very popular in Turkey and it is very popular in some European countries, because we send this recipe to many friends of us who live in some European countries. Here it is our unique Turkish Style Cornishons Pickle's recipe; 

Very good family favourite; 

Serve: 2 or 3 glass jars, Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes, Cooking Time: No cooking, Cuisine: Mediterranean & Anatolian Cuisines, 

 Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 (or more) medium size clean glass jars,
• 1 or 2 kg small size gherkins, (we recommend that small size onez, if not, cut them into 2 pieces or 3 pieces),
• 10-15 Clovrs garlic, chopped roughly, (4-5 cloves of garlic per jar),
• 2 or 3 Green peppers, (it is optional),
• 5 or 6 Bay leaves, ( it is optional, we use them because of bay leaves prevent bacteria in the pickles and its taste and smell better),
• 1/2 or 1 Handfull Dried chickpead, (dried chickpeas are very important for the fermentation process. You should place to cover bottom of the jar. Because, chickpeas assist the fermentation process and absorb impurities that would otherwise make the juice cloudy),
• 4-5 Tablespoons Rock salt, (if you want, you can use sea salt as well),
• 1,5 or 2 Teaspoons Granulated sugar,
• 2 Cups vinegar, ( nearly 1 or 1,5 glass of vinegar per jar),
• 2 Lemons juice and half lemon sliced, (it is optional, but we often use it),
• 1/2 or 1 Teaspoon Lemon salt, (it is optional, but in this recipe we used it), 
• 3 Liter of purified water per jar or as you needed depending on your jar size,
• On top: 1/2 or 1/4 Bunch of parsley, if you want chop it roughly,

Fermented vegetables make healthy body

Preparation:

1. First of all, clean your jar well, preferably with boiled water. Then, wash your gherkins well (we generally soak them for about half an hour). The next thing to do is trim any stems off them.
2. Then, prick the skin of the gherkins with a fork. Now time is preparing your pickle's (Turşu) juice time , you should prepare in the steel or aluminum pots or teflon pot. Pickle (Turşu) juice is made from salt, vinegar, water, sugar, juice of lemons and lemon salt (they are optional). Bring the water to the boil, dissolve in the salt and add the vinegar. At the same time, squeeze the lemons into this pot. At the end of this process, your pickle juice is ready.
3. Then, take your jars and cover the bottom of the jar with a layer of chickpeas and couple of bay leaves, then fill your jar with the gherkins. Then pour your pickle juice onto gherkins (you will cover the pickles with this pickle juice to the top). Make sure all the pickles are covered with this pickle juice. Add your parsley on top, and press to cover them with water too. You can also add lemon slices and bay leaves.
4. Then, close the lid of your jars tightly and place them in a dark, dry and cool place of your home. Leave for fermentation for about 1 month. (You can let the jar sit for 1-2 months if desired). Bye the way, after about two weeks, you should check that everything is okay with your gherkins pickle. We mean that don't forget to check the water level. If it would lower down, so add some more pickle juice. Then, close it again. When your pickle is done, the vegetables will change in color (forexample: your gherkins look yellowish and translucent,) and they will become crispy. It is done, you may serve it as a side dish.
5. Turkish Style Cornishon Pickle (Kornişon Turşu) goes well with "meat dishes" and "Buttered rice under stewed white beans dish". 

Our cornishon pickle goes well with Turkish-shish-kabab-recipe , Shish-kabab-with-liver-recipe , Ladys-thighs-meatballs-recipe , Turkish-chicken-shish-kabab-recipe and Oven-baked-lamb-chops-recipe

ENJOY! 

Turkish Pickle: Gherkins Pickle

Please let us know how this "Turkish Style Cornishon Pickles Recipe" turns out for you in the comments. We are always so eager to hear from you. 

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