Affectionately know as “dilly beans” in Maine, these tongue-tingling pickles constitute something of a small cottage industry in the Pine Tree State. You see locally made dillies for sale at just about every farm stand and tourist-oriented food emporium in the state. Since I am convinced that part of their charm is in the way they look, standing neatly upright packed into their glass jars, I have written this recipe accordingly. As with all the pickle recipes in this book, you can treat these dilly beans as a refrigerator pickle. Or, if you like, you may process the jars, while they’re still hot, in a boiling-water-bath canner according to the canner’s directions.

image: foodsnobberyhobbery.blogspot.com

Down East Dilly Beans
Brooke Dojny, Dishing Up Maine

2 pounds green beans
3½ cups cider vinegar
1¾ cups water
About 8 small dried hot chiles
2 Tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
About 8 large fresh dill sprigs

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the stem ends of the beans so they fit standing upright into 1½-pint glass jars. Blanch the beans in the boiling water for exactly 1½ minutes. Drain into a colander, then plunge into a bowl of ice water. Pack the beans upright into clean 1½-pint jars.

Combine the vinegar, water, chiles, salt, and mustard seeds in a medium-sized nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt.

Divide the garlic and dill among the jars and pour the hot vinegar mixture over the beans, leaving about ½-inch of headspace. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 4  1½-pint jars.

Note: If you don’t care about using jars, simply toss the blanched beans with the hot liquid and seasonings in a large bowl and then refrigerate, covered. Stainless steel and enameled cast iron are nonreactive. Avoid aluminum and uncoated iron.

Brooke Dojny is the author of several cookbooks including Dishing Up Maine.