Dilly beans

Dilly beans, or pickled green beans, are a means of preserving this delicious summer legume. Often flavored with dill, hence the name, they may also contain garlic, Tabasco sauce, and red pepper. Best kept in glass jars for safekeeping over the winter months, they can be served on their own as a snack or alongside a main dish or in salad. While they are made in kitchens all over the United States, they are particularly common in Vermont, where the overabudance of green beans during the short summer needs to be preserved for enjoyment during the long winter. The following is a common recipe:

2 lbs. fresh green snap beans
4 sm. garlic cloves
4 heads dill or 4 tsp. dry dill seeds
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 1/2 c. white viengar
2 1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. kosher salt

Wash beans and break off stem ends. Peel garlic. In 4 sterilized jars (pint size) put 1 clove garlic, 1 head or 1 tsp. dill seeds and a pinch of red pepper. Fit beans in jar, allowing 1/2 inch head room at top of each jar. (Trim beans if necessary). Bring vinegar, water and salt to a boil. Pour over beans, filling to within 1/4 inch of rim. Fasten jar tops according to manufacturer's directions and place in a boiling water bath, covering lids with 2 inches of water. Process at a hard boil for 5 minutes. Remove and cool.