In this section, we share dishes that have been cooked in our authors’ families for a long time. Years ago, we discovered the delightful “pressgurka recipe” (literally “pressed cucumber”) in a Stockholm café, and our love for it continues to this day.
I first encountered pressgurka alongside traditional Swedish meatballs. However, it pairs well with almost everything, from simple scrambled eggs to Christmas goose. It also complements another Scandinavian specialty — fried or pickled herring.
The key to this recipe is the removal of excess water from the cucumbers, which are 95% water. Before marinating, thinly sliced and salted cucumbers are pressed to eliminate excess moisture. This technique results in a bright, intense flavor with minimal preparation time.
The given ratio of ingredients provides a harmonious balance of salt, sugar, and acidity, while dill and black pepper add a pleasant herbal-spicy note. Feel free to experiment with the recipe to suit your taste, adding your favorite spices like coriander, allspice, or white mustard.
Young summer cucumbers make the best pressgurka, but winter cucumbers also work well. So, don’t let the changing seasons stop you from enjoying this refreshing snack.
Cooking Time pressgurka recipe is a Swedish pickle appetizer
Total:
40 minutes
Active:
15 minutes
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
- Fresh cucumbers – 500 g
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Water – 100 ml
- Sugar – 30 g
- Black pepper (ground) – ¼ tsp
- Vinegar (6%) – 40 ml
- Dill – 1 bunch
Preparation Pressgurka recipe
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Trim the ends of the washed and dried cucumbers. Slice them very thinly into rounds (or use a special grater).
- Mix the cucumbers with salt and spread them in an even layer in a dish with sides and a flat bottom.
- Press down with a weight of about 2 kg and let sit for at least half an hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare the marinade. Boil the water, then turn off the heat and dissolve the sugar in it. Add pepper and vinegar, and let it cool completely.
- Remove the weight from the cucumbers, drain all the released liquid, and lightly squeeze them.
- Transfer the cucumbers to a jar with a capacity of about 500 ml.
- Add finely chopped dill to the cooled marinade, mix well, and pour over the cucumbers.
- Pressgurka can be eaten immediately, but the flavor will be more intense if left in the refrigerator for at least an hour and a half. Store the ready marinated cucumbers in a closed container for up to a week.