These pickled cucumbers are an ideal blend of sweet and sour. They pair up not only with evening snacks but are also a great way to brighten up any bland meal.

You can go for the classic onions and cucumbers or try carrots ... Kept refrigerated the pickled will last 2 weeks. These are fresh pickles so best eaten within a week or so.

See the Recipe Tips for information on sterilising. Trim the cucumbers (there’s no need to peel them) and slice them very finely – the easiest way to do this is using the slicing blade on a ...

Pile the pickled cucumber over the salmon and serve with the jalapeno, caper, cream cheese spread on the side. For more Christmas inspiration, see Simon'sglazed ham recipe.