Nick Vadasz: The Picklesman's top homemade pickles from his own family recipes

“This is my homemade version of our family favourite go-to Friday night takeaway, and a very popular one it is too,” says The Picklesman, aka Nick Vadasz.

“But if you really, really insist on a takeaway instead, be sure to open it up and ‘Vadaszle’ it with our Pineapple & Turmeric Sauerkraut, then rewrap and devour!”

Serves 6/makes about 800g. Ingredients: 3 cucumbers; 25g fine natural sea salt

For the brine: 170g apple cider vinegar; 100g water; 2 heaped tbsp sugar; 1 large garlic clove, crushed; 1 big pinch of pepper; 1 big pinch of caraway seeds

To serve: Soured cream; Paprika

Wash and drain the cucumbers, then peel them. Using a mandoline or the slicer on your grater, slice the cucumbers thinly.

Put the cucumber slices in a large mixing bowl, cover with the salt and mix well with your hands. You will notice that they begin to lose their juices quickly and diminish in size.

Sit a plate on top of the cucumber slices and leave for 20 minutes or so to draw out the juices even more.

While the cucumber slices are resting in their salty bath, make your brine. Put all the ingredients for it in a separate large mixing bowl and whisk briskly to help dissolve the sugar and salt. Don’t worry if they don’t dissolve completely, as they will do so during the brining process.

Squeeze the cucumber slices robustly over a colander to remove the excess liquid, then transfer to a salad spinner to expel more of the salty juices. When well and truly squeezed and drained, the cucumber will resemble coin-sized, wilted, pale green jewels. Have a taste, and if you think the cucumbers are too salty, please go ahead and rinse before adding to the vinegar.

Add the cucumber slices to your brine and mix well. Although the pickle is good to eat straight away, it’s best to let the cucumber absorb the brine for at least 20 minutes or so before serving in a bowl topped with soured cream and a dusting of bright red paprika. To store for later use, pack the pickle into two thoroughly cleaned Vadasz pots or other 400ml lidded storage containers and put in the fridge, where it will keep for several weeks.

The Picklesman’s tandoori-style chicken rolls with pineapple curry kraut

“This is my homemade version of our family favourite go-to Friday night takeaway, and a very popular one it is too,” says The Picklesman, aka Nick Vadasz. “But if you really, really insist on a takeaway instead, be sure to open it up and ‘Vadaszle’ it with our Pineapple & Turmeric Sauerkraut, then rewrap and devour!”

The Picklesman’s tandoori-style chicken rolls with pineapple curry kraut

Serves 4. Ingredients: 4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs

For the marinade: 2 heaped tbsp Vadasz Pineapple & Turmeric Sauerkraut, plus extra to serve; 2tbsp Greek yogurt; 1tsp tomato puree; 2tsp paprika; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 handful of chopped coriander, plus ½ handful extra, to serve; 2tbsp olive oil; 1 or 2 big pinches of salt and pepper

For the curry ketchup: 2tbsp tomato ketchup; 1tbsp Vadasz Pineapple & Turmeric Sauerkraut or homemade Curried Kraut, finely chopped; 2tbsp of the brine; ½tsp sriracha; Salt, if needed

To serve: 2 large white or wholemeal wraps or fresh naan a good squirt of mayonnaise; Handful of chopped mint; Juice of ½ lemon

First make your curry ketchup. Put all the ingredients for it in a small bowl and mix well. Taste and add salt if needed.

Place the chicken thighs in a bowl. Put all the marinade ingredients in a food processor or a blender and blend until smooth. Add this to the chicken and mix well to coat. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan (425°F), Gas Mark 7. Place the marinated chicken thighs in a baking tray and bake for 20–25 minutes or until well browned and cooked through (if using a probe thermometer, the temperature should be above 74°C/165°C). You might need to adjust the timings depending on how big your thighs are. Turn them over halfway through to get a good even colour on them.

Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer to a bowl or plate and leave to rest for a few minutes.

While the chicken is resting, cut four large pieces of greaseproof paper or foil and place on your work surface. Toast each of the wraps or naans directly over the open flame of your gas hob or in a hot, dry frying pan for a few seconds on each side, until warmed and slightly charred. Lay each flat on the paper or foil and add half a tablespoon of sauerkraut to each one.

Place the chicken thighs on a chopping board and cut them into big chunks or slices. Place on top of the sauerkraut, then spoon over a good zigzag of mayo, add the curry ketchup, chopped coriander and mint and finish with the lemon juice.

Roll up each wrap or naan as tightly as possible, wrapping it up in the paper or foil, then, using a sharp knife, cut in half, through the paper or foil, and turn each half outwards to show off the lovely colourful filling.