You can also make these with Painted Serpent Cukes, but let the pickling liquid cool first. This recipe has no sugar in it — these pickles are tart and tangy. It does not require any heat-treatment or other preservation method but the pickles should be eaten within two weeks. If you want to preserve them, I have included directions but it is optional.
In a medium sized pot, combine 1 1/2 C. white vinegar with 3 C. water. Bring to a boil, then let cool to room temperature.
Wash 2 pint-sized mason jars, preferably wide-mouth, plus the lids. Rinse beans, remove the stems and then trim to fit in the jars.
Put 1 T. of salt in the bottom of each jar, as well as one clove of garlic, sliced in half. Add 1 T. salt plus a pinch of one or more spices: whole peppercorns, celery seed, coriander seed, dill seed, mustard seed and/or red chili flakes. Place a sprig of fresh dill in each jar, if available.
Pack the jar loosely with beans.
Pour the hot cooking liquid over the beans and tightly close with a lid. Shake the jar to dissolve the salt.
Keep in the fridge for a week before eating. After that they will keep two weeks.
You can preserve the pickles the following way if you use proper canning lids that are brand new, but note it will make them less crunchy:
Place the jars of pickles in a hot water bath and cook on low boil for 20 minutes. Remove from the water and allow to cool. Check the lids to ensure that they have sealed correctly according to the directions on the box.