Fried pickles

Fried vegetables have been around for a long time. Now pickled gherkins fried in crispy breadcrumbs are conquering the market here too, proving that vegetables don’t just have to be healthy and therefore perhaps a little boring.  The new trend snack has a rather unusual and interesting taste and therefore brings a welcome change.

Pickled gherkins are young, unripe gherkins which are covered in a vinegar-herbal brine and thus pasteurised. The spice mixtures used for the brine (e.g. dill, pepper, salt, mustard seeds, onions, sugar) are also very varied. Depending on the size of the gherkins and the composition of the spice mixture, you can find gherkins, gherkins with gherkins, cornichons, honey gherkins, mustard gherkins and gherkins from the Spreewald in shops. With all this variety, the crunchy food literally invites you to enjoy food experiments and your own holiday. And who is leading the way in this segment? - The Yanks, of course.

Americans love pickled gherkins, which is why 14 November is celebrated in the USA as National Pickle Day. The pickled gherkin on a stick (stick pickles) has enjoyed great popularity as a snack for many years. So it makes sense to dedicate a special holiday to the pickled gherkin.

Ingredients

• 1 Jar pickled gherkins
• 2 Eggs
• Some milk
• 1 Cup flour
• 1/2 Cup breadcrumbs
• Spices as desired (e.g. paprika powder, cayenne pepper ...)
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. First, cut the pickled gherkins either lengthwise into quarters or cut them crosswise into slices. The pieces will then look like chips or crisps. The shape is not important. To keep the pieces of pickled gherkins from becoming too moist, dry them on kitchen paper.
2. Next whisk the eggs with the milk in a deep plate. On another plate, mix the flour with the breadcrumbs and spices of your choice.
3. Now turn the cucumber pieces first in the egg and milk mixture and then in the breadcrumb coating. Press the breading firmly to make it stick better. You probably know this from breading cutlets or schnitzel. The cucumber pieces should be well coated.
4. The easiest way is to use a deep fryer for frying. But a deep pot will also do the trick. Once the oil has become hot, you can fry the cucumber morsels in individual portions until they are crispy and golden brown. After frying, let the crunchy pieces drip off on kitchen paper.

Tip: To make the whole thing a little more health conscious, you can also bake the breaded cucumber pieces in the oven on baking paper. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees with top and bottom heat or 200 degrees in a fan oven. The baking time is about 15 minutes. You should turn the pieces halfway through.

Fried pickles should be eaten hot. Serve delicious dips with them. Sweet, sour, greasy and spicy combine to create a dish that makes fast food so tasty and popular.

The classic dip for serving is sour cream. But tomato-based sauces, cocktail sauces, mayonnaise, yoghurt dips or honey-mustard dressings also go well with deep-fried cucumbers. Also a dip with some radish, garlic, sour cream and cranberries goes well with the crunchy pieces. Let your creativity run wild.

Have we whet your appetite? Surprise your guests next time with this trendy snack, which admittedly takes some getting used to at first sight. Have fun snacking, dipping and enjoying!