DIRECTIONS:
Wash and dry the cucumbers. Slice them 1/4 inch thick. Set aside. Slice the onion into thin slices. Peel 2 cloves of fresh garlic and slice them in half. Set them aside.
Take out a large shallow bowl and place the cucumbers in it, salting them in layers as you go, using the 1 and 1/2 tbsp of kosher or fleur de sel salt. Do not use table salt because the chemicals in it affect the pickling brine. Cover the bowl and chill it in the fridge from 1 to 4 hours. Remove cucumbers from the fridge and place them in a colander. Rinse them well under cold running water. Drain them, pat them dry. Toss them with the sliced onions and garlic. Divide the cucumber onion mixture evenly between two pint size jars or into one quart size jar. Make sure the garlic gets into each jar as well. Set aside.
Measure out all the spices into a small bowl. or you can substitute 1 or 2 tbsp of pickling spice instead.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, place the vinegar, salt, Equal, spices and sugar. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium low heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat.
Place a small frond of fresh dill on the top of each mason jar or sprinkle dried dill in there.
Pour the vinegar mixture into a cup measure. Then pour even amounts of pickling mixture into each mason jar. If the cucumber slices are not covered completely, add some vinegar until the liquid reaches the top of the jar. Screw on the top and shake the jar up and down making sure the vinegar and spices are permeated throughout the vegetable layers. Place the jars on the counter for an hour. Then place them in your refrigerator. Shake the pickle jars once or twice in the next few hours and then, after chilling the pickles for six hours in the fridge, you can eat them. They are even better if left for a week before eating them.
I find these low fodmap, low sodium pickles are crunchy, sweet, slightly spicy and available any time I want to eat them. They keep in the fridge for several weeks. Some folks freeze them, but I need access to the pickles at all times. Low salt pickles - happiness!
