Dill Pickles with Garlic

Peel the garlic cloves and pack them into a sterilised jar with the cucumbers and sprigs of dill. Pour the water and vinegar into a saucepan and add the salt, pickling spice, dill seeds, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, and boil rapidly for 3 minutes. Leave to cool. Pour the cooled mixture over the cucumbers, to cover them by 1.25 CM (l/2 inch). If there is too much liquid, add any remaining spices to the jar and discard the excess liquid. Seal the jar and label. Keep in the refrigerator for 3 weeks before using, to allow the flavours to develop. After a day or two, check that the cucumbers are still well covered. If they are protruding out of the vinegar, push them down into the liquid and hold them down with a crumpled piece of greaseproof paper. Remove the paper after 2 weeks. Fills one 2 litre (3 1/2 pint) jar VARIATION Instead of leaving the cucumbers whole, thinly slice them and layer them in sterilised jars, with 2 peeled and sliced onions, 2 peeled garlic cloves, and the dill. Continue as for whole cucumbers.