Sunday Favorites - making pickle relish

Thanks to Chari of Happy To Design, for hosting Sunday Favorites! This is my first time - I just learned from her blog how to repost a favorite - and it is so simple and easy - even in HTML - so here we go.

I posted this one last fall - and it is time again to remind ourselves of canning and freezing and preserving for the coming winter - we are, afterall, a bunch of squirrels busy putting away our summer treasures, to bring them out again on blustery winter days to enjoy.

I've had several request for my recipe for pickle relish - it uses zuchinni, those big whale ones, so you can get a lot of relish from just a few zuchinni, or if you have lots of cucumbers, use them - or a combo - it is delicious either way.

Every year or two I make huge batches of sweet pickle relish, bread and butter pickles or jam. I make enough for us and for our kids and their families. When I make one of the items I make enough to last for several years - then I don't have to make the same thing over each year. This year it was sweet pickle relish - made with zuchinni. The original recipe was for green tomato relish - so if you have a lot of extra green tomatoes you can also make it. You could even make it all of cucumbers if you wanted - whatever you have on hand makes a great relish, and feel free to combine vegetables too - it is all wonderful.



For this recipe you start with four of the biggest zuchinni you can find. It is never hard to find them, someone always has them growing in their garden and are happy to get rid of them. If you aren't careful you will find some on your porch.



You chop everything and let it soak overnight. Even longer is ok - if you don't get to the relish right away the next morning. By this time your house smells like pickles - and will continue to do so for about a week.



Wash up your jars and lids and rings - you can put them in the dishwasher on "hot dry" if you want to - to heat them up - but make sure they are very clean first.



Gather up some other ingredients - plus sugar, and you are ready to start.



Once you have the relish in the jar, turn it upside down for a few minutes.



Then back right-side up and you have relish!



GREEN TOMATO RELISH – OR ZUCHINNI RELISH

1 flat green tomatoes or 4 huge zuchinni
(approx. 12 cups chopped)
5 1/3 c. onion (chopped)
5 c sugar
1 tsp allspice
1 t turmeric
1 1/3 t cinnamon
1 1/3 t celery seed
3 ½ T cornstarch

½ c salt
1 quart apple cider vinegar

Chop all vegetables (food processor works fine – chop in several batches – do not use blender)
Add ½ c salt and let chopped vegetables sit overnight – stir occasionally

Drain slightly – do not rinse – cover with vinegar. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Add sugar, boil for 30 min. Mix cinnamon, cornstarch and allspice, add enough water to make a paste. Add to hot mixtures (do NOT add dry cornstarch – it will clump up and you will never get the clumps out). Boil 10 minutes. Add celery seed and turmeric. Put in sterile jars – fill almost to the top – put on lids. Turn immediately upside down for 5 minutes. Set upright and let jars seal. Makes 5-6 quarts.

Enjoy!!