Sm. to med. green tomatoes

INGREDIENTS PER QUART OF WATER USED:

2 tbsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. pickling spice
1/2 tsp. mustard seed, slightly bruised
1/4 tsp. whole black peppercorns, slightly bruised
Handful of stalks of fresh dill with flower heads
1 med. unpeeled clove garlic, slightly flattened

Sort and rinse tomatoes. Measure by quarts and put into a large crock. Pour cold water to cover the tomatoes. Measure quarts of water into pot. To water in pot, add salt, pickling spices, mustard seed and peppercorns. Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes. Cool completely.

Prick each tomato in several places with fork and return to crock. Add dill and dill seed to tomatoes in crock. Pour the brine and spices over drained tomatoes in crock. Put a clean heavy plate over tomatoes to hold them under the surface. Cover with cloth and let set in cool place (70 degrees) for 1-3 weeks until as tangy as you want.

If white scum forms, skim off. When tomatoes are pickled, put in clean jars and pour brine over them, adding some sprigs of dill, if you like. Put on lids and refrigerate.