Asier

Step 1: Peel the 4 ⅜ lb asie cucumbers, halve them lengthways and scrape out all the seeds with a spoon. Cut into strips about 2 × 6 cm.

Step 2: Layer the strips with the 3 ½ oz coarse salt in a glass or ceramic bowl, cover and leave in the fridge overnight; a lot of water will collect.

Step 3: Rinse the strips well in cold water, drain and pat dry with a clean cloth.

Step 4: Sterilise the jar and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then set the jar upside down in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes (or boil jar and lid for 10 minutes). Let it cool and dry completely; jar, lid and every spoon you use must be bone dry. Use four 500 ml jars and keep them warm in the oven.

Step 5: Bring the 3 ¼ cups white vinegar, 1 cup water and 1 ⅓ lb white sugar to the boil in a non-reactive pan over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Step 6: Add the cucumbers to the lage in batches and simmer for 2 minutes per batch, just until the edges turn translucent; lift them out with a slotted spoon.

Step 7: Pack the cucumbers into the hot jars with the 4 dill crowns, 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds, 1 tsp white peppercorns and the 2 bay leaves if using, divided between the jars.

Step 8: Bring the lage back to the boil and pour it over to cover the cucumbers by 1 cm. Water-bath for room-temperature storage: fill the hot jars to 1 cm from the top, wipe the rims, close, stand them on a rack in a deep pan of water that covers them by 3 cm, bring to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes (add 1 minute per 300 m above sea level). Lift out and cool undisturbed; the lids should be pulled down. Any jar that does not seal goes in the fridge.

Step 9: Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year; they are ready after 2 weeks. Once opened, keep in the fridge for 2 months and use clean tongs. Throw them away if the lage turns cloudy or slimy, if they fizz, if a lid bulges or if you see mould.