Sesame-Lemon Pickles

With a simple cold brine of water, vinegar, sugar, and salt, this pickle recipe is open to so many additional layers of flavor. Here, that’s thin slices of fresh lemon, some green chile, and sesame seeds (black or white). The cold brine keeps the cuke slices extra-crunchy. It’s also our go-to method for pickling thinly sliced fennel, cauliflower florets, quartered radishes, or thinly sliced celery

Ingredients

Makes about 1 quart

1lb. kirby, Persian, or English hothouse cucumbers, sliced ½" thick

½lemon, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed

1small green chile (such as serrano), thinly sliced

1 2" piece ginger, peeled, julienned

1½cups unseasoned rice vinegar

¼cup sugar

4tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2 tsp. Morton kosher salt

1Tbsp. sesame seeds

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

A 1-qt. glass jar with a lid

Preparation

Place cucumbers in jar. Bring lemon slices, chile, ginger, vinegar, sugar, salt, sesame seeds, and 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan and cook, stirring, until sugar and salt are dissolved, about 1 minute. Let cool. Pour brine over cucumbers in jar; cover and chill. Pickles will taste good after a few hours, but for the best flavor wait at least 24 hours before using.

Do ahead: Cucumbers can be pickled 2 months ahead. Keep chilled.