ZYDECO PICKLED GREEN BEANS

In my opinion, pickled green beans should be mandatory in Bloody Marys.

Zydeco Green Beans

Makes 6 pints

6 garlic cloves, sliced

6 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

3 pounds haricots verts or other young, tender very thin snap beans, trimmed if necessary to 4 inches

6 to 12 small fresh or dried chile peppers

6 dill heads (optional)

3-1/2 cups white wine vinegar

3-1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons pickling salt 

Into each of six sterile pint mason jars, put one sliced garlic clove and one teaspoon mustard seeds. Pack beans vertically into jar, adding one or two chile peppers and, if you like, a dill head to each jar.

In nonreactive saucepan, bring to boil the vinegar, water and salt. Pour hot liquid over beans, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Close jars with hot two-piece caps. Process jars for 5 minutes in boiling-water bath, or pasteurize them for 30 minutes in water heated to 180 to 185 degrees.

Store cooled jars in cool, dry dark place for at least one month before eating beans.