My dad used to make these crisp and vinegary dilly beans every summer, in those fleeting moments between the time the bean bushes bear fruit and the grazing deer eat their fill. My sister has since taken over this tradition, and the few precious jars she gives us each year are worth their weight in gold.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 6 pints

　　12 small chile peppers

　　12 sprigs fresh dill

　　12 garlic cloves, smashed

　　12 whole cloves

　　1/4 cup dill seeds

　　1/4 cup mustard seeds

　　1/4 cup kosher salt

　　3 pounds green beans or mixed beans, such as wax beans, haricots verts, and pole beans, stem ends trimmed to fit the jars

　　5 cups apple cider vinegar

　　5 cups water

　　

Step 1

If preserving the beans, sterilize six 1-pint heat-tempered canning jars (see Know-how, page 291).

　　

Step 2

To each jar, add 2 chile peppers, 2 dill sprigs, 2 garlic cloves, 2 whole cloves, and 2 teaspoons each of the dill seeds, mustard seeds, and salt.

　　

Step 3

Tightly pack the beans in the hot jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace to ensure a proper seal.

　　

Step 4

Combine the vinegar and water in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Pour the hot liquid over the beans, maintaining the 1/2-inch headspace.

　　

Step 5

For refrigerator pickles, seal the jars tightly and refrigerate for 2 weeks to allow the flavors to develop before serving. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, or for up to 1 month.

　　

Step 6

For preserved pickles, process in a hot water bath for about 15 minutes to vacuum-seal (see Know-how, page 291). Let cool to room temperature, check the seal, and store in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks to allow the flavors to develop before serving, or for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening.

　　Reprinted with permission from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal by Sara Foster. Copyright © 2011 by Sara Foster. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Sara Foster is the owner of Foster's Market, the acclaimed gourmet take-out store/cafés in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the author of several cookbooks including The Foster's Market Cookbook, winner of the Best Cookbook Award from the Southeast Booksellers Association. She has appeared numerous times on Martha Stewart Living Television and NBC's Today show. She has also been featured in magazines such as More, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, and is featured regularly in Bon Appétit.