On Friday night I found myself watching the One Show. Chef Jamie Oliver was appearing allowing a gentle back and forth with Observer food critic Jay Rayner about his review of Jamies latest restaurant venture Barbecoa
After some gentle ribbing, chef and critic discussed how badly hit UK cucumber farmers had been by the recent unfounded e-coli scares. Personally I have seen the prices of cucumbers plumet with my local greengrocer has been selling 3 for a pound.
Now that the cucumbers innocence has been proven (the guilt lies with German Beansprouts). Jamie was encouraging was encouraging people to go out and buy English cucumbers with a simple recipe for a cucumber pickle.
Cucumber Pickle
Slice cucumbers and mix them with 1 part sea salt , 1 part sugar 2 part white wine vinegar 2 part water
Pack them into a jar , they will be ready in an hour, but will last in the fridge for a week.
I added finely sliced onions to the mix but you could also add, chopped red chillis, mustard or fennel seeds depending on what you want to serve the pickle with.
After a few days in the fridge, I wanted to serve the pickle with some smoked salmon, This seems a good place to mention how easy it is to cure your own salmon, I have had great success with elderflower, gravadlax or beetroot cures click on the images below for the recipes. served with with a hot potato salad, , boiled new potatoes mixed with equal butter, lemon, dijon mustard & chopped garlic chives.
Quick , easy and fresh weekday supper.
Girl Interrupted Eating 
Sometimes the simple things are the best. I love doing homemade pickled cucumber and also do beetroot – two of the things always to be found in my Grandma’s fridge, however mine never quite taste the same as hers – think she’s prob more generous with the sugar!
Love the combination of pickled cucumber and smoked salmon. I have a delicious smoked salmon in the fridge so thanks for reminding me what to serve with it. And of course, lovely warm, buttery potatoes Mmmm