Bourkanche krastavitsa e Otset or Pickled Gherkins

 Gherkins & peppers are a staple part of the Bulgarian diet always on the food table while the borkans are in the cellars & the shops are always full of the processed variety. Part of village life grow them then pickle them & put them on the table whenever anyone visits, these make up a messe with fresh laid hard boiled eggs sprinkled with paprika pepper. Mmmm I tell you we have a good life here! 
This is my village way of pickling & very nice they are too, you can add more sugar for a sweeter pickle, these are quite tart but go down lovely with a chasha of Rakia & a nice shopska salade

You will need.... per jar
Gherkins
5 cloves of garlic
fennel head
5 pepper corns 1 dsp sugar
1 dsp salt
5 dsp vinegar
1 asprin... optional

Fill jars with gherkins Add all ingredients & fill to top with water.
Seal jar & turn to mix all ingredients together. Stand jars in sun for 5 days & rotate the jars every day.
If you do not add the aspirin...... Place a cloth in the bottom of a large pan place the jars of pickles on & fill till jars covered bring to the boil & boil for 10 mins.
These pickles keep for at least a year longer actually, I am still eating the ones I canned last year & they are delicious!