[freddies]

Please can someone explain why it is necessary to leave veg in salted water overnight prior to using for pickling. I am looking to make a smooth mustard pickle along the lines of ' Heinz Mild Mustard Pickle' and as the veg will be chopped very fine or 'blitzed' I was wondering if I still need to go through the salting process.

[cheshirecheese]

The reason for salting or brining (i.e. layering with dry salt or covering with a salt solution) is to draw excess water out of the vegetables before pickling.  This makes them much crunchier (can't be doing with soggy pickles!!), and it also extends the life of the pickle as you've got rid of the excess water:  this means it doesn't leach out into the vinegar once the veg are bottled, which would obviously dilute the vinegar and make it less effective.  I've just made a batch of mustard pickle which included cucumber and celery, both of which have a high water content, so it really is worth salting before you start.  
   Best of luck!