#200 The Case of Cucumber Relish

These relish-loaded hot dogs are made with very authentic tasting Lightlife Smart Dogs veggie wieners.

8 cucumbers, seeds scraped out, cut into 1/4" dice
1 medium onion, chopped slightly smaller than the cucumbers
2 red peppers, chopped slightly smaller than the cucumbers
1/2 jalapeño, minced
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 pinches chilli pepper flakes

In a very large bowl, add the cucumber, onion, red pepper and jalapeño. Stir in the salt.

Transfer to a large colander and set over the bowl to drain overnight in the fridge (at least 8 hours).

Dump the collected liquid, stir the vegetables, then drain for another 2 hours.

Dump the collected liquid.

Wash 1 or 2-cup canning jars and lids in hot, soapy water and dry.

Place the jars, upright, in a cold oven and heat to 225ºF. Leave for 30 min.

Boil the lids and a knife for 5 min. in a canner filled to 3-1/2".

Drop in new caps, a funnel and the ends of a pair of tongs. 

In a large pot, bring the vinegar, sugar, garlic and spices to a boil, uncovered, and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Add the drained vegetables, bring back to a boil and simmer for 30 min.

Using the colander, drain and dump the excess vinegar mix.

Pick the funnel out of the canner with the tongs. Using the funnel, fill the hot, sterilized jars set on a tea towel or rag, leaving about 1/4" head space.

Remove air bubbles by drawing the knife in and out of the jars, at the edges and in the centres. If necessary, wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth.

Cap.

Add the filled and capped jars to the canner of warm water—a specialized metal rack will prevent jars from rattling on the bottom of the canner and avoid cracking. Add more hot water to cover the jars by at least 1". Cover the canner and bring the water to a boil. Processing time begins the moment the water reaches a rolling boil. Boil vigorously, adding more boiling water if necessary.

Process for 10 min. at altitudes under 1,000 feet. For altitudes between 1,000 and 6,000, process for 15 min. For altitudes above 6,000, process for 20 min.

With tongs, remove the jars from the canner and let them cool for 24 hours away from drafts. Do not tighten the lids.

When cool, tighten the lids. The caps should curve inward. Wipe the jars with a damp cloth, and dry them.

Makes 5-6 cups. This recipe may be doubled.

♥ Becki 

 

PS Use this same recipe to make Zucchini Relish. I adjusted the number of zucchinis to 6 because they don't lose volume due to seeding.

 

PPS Make a fast, piquant and creamy Potato Salad by mixing a good quantity of Zucchini Relish with potatoes—boiled whole then peeled and chopped—and stirring in salt, pepper and vegan mayonnaise to taste.