THE apple cucumber is like the cool hipster cousin of the regular long cucumber.   

They taste the same, but the round version is more of the 'I'm doing my own thing and want to appear non-conformist, but really I am the same as everyone else' type.  

So here's a great pickle recipe to get you salivating when your free seeds (with this paper) produce cucumbers ready to eat.   

Apple Cucumber Pickle

INGREDIENTS  

4 apple cucumbers  

1 shallot, thinly sliced  

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar  

1/4 cup water  

1 tsp salt  

2 tbsp sugar  

1 tbsp black pepper  

1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds  

METHOD  

Thinly slice the apple cucumber and place into your sterilised preserving jar.   

Gather all the other ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil.   

Reduce heat and simmer for about a minute then pour the hot liquid over the cucumber.   

Seal the jar. Set aside to cool.   

Delicious served with smoked salmon, on sandwiches or in salads.  

Fun fact: The heaviest cucumber was grown by David Thomas of the UK and weighed in at 12.9kg in September 2015. David also holds the Guinness World Record for the heaviest parsnip.