pickled string beans.

I LOVE string beans.
I REALLY love pickled string beans.
I've always been a big fan of dill pickles, so it only makes sense!
Shawn bought me my first container of the delicious pickled beans while we were down in Florida visiting his family.
They have a great flavor and a wonderful texture. Love em.

Anyways, to my delight, Parker's Pickles at the Pike Place Market yesterday had some pickled string beans!! They were $7.95.
Down in New Orleans they have made it a tradition of serving these pickled beans in your Bloody Mary's (another favorite of mine), and they are often set out as appetizers.

I decided that $7.95 is more than I'm willing to pay on a regular basis, so I need to figure out how to make them on my own.
I went through a TON of recipes, but here is one that sounds right on the money:

Ingredients

3 lb Young green beans; to 4
-pounds
4 long, thin Red chiles (fresh
- or dried)
4 lg Garlic cloves
1 tb Peppercorns
(white, black, green or a
-mixture)
1/4 c loosely-packed fresh dill
-sprigs
(or 4 tablespoons dried dill
- weed)
2 1/2 c Water
2 1/2 c White wine vinegar
1/4 c Salt

Instructions

Trim and remove string from the beans. Rinse well and set aside.
Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water. When jars are cool enough to
handle, fill each upright with beans until they are snug. Insert chiles
and garlic cloves preferably around outside so they can be seen (both for
decorative reasons and also to alert that they are spicy). Divide
peppercorns and dill among jars.
Separately bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil in a
non-reactive sauce pan. Ladle the hot brine over the beans leaving about
1/2-inch head space. Wipe jar edge clean and screw on sterilized lid and
band according tomanufacturers instructions.
Process in a boiling water bath for 12 minutes. Remove
and allow to cool completely at room temperature away from drafts. Check
lids to make sure proper seal has been attained. Store for at least one
month before using to allow flavors to develop.
This recipe yields 4 pints.

Recipe Source:
COOKING RIGHT with John Ash

Anyways...I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do!!