Chow-Chow
Chow-Chow
You don't hear much about Chow-Chow anymore, but it’s a pickled relish that used to be a popular way to make use of end-of-season garden vegetables like green tomatoes, peppers and cabbage. If you have some vegetables to "put up" modify this recipe for a tasty topping for sausages, sandwiches and other foods.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 cups rough-chopped green cabbage (about ½ medium head)
- 1 cup sweet red bell peppers (sliced or diced)
- 1 cup diced or sliced onions
- 2 Kirby cucumbers, scrubbed, seeded,and sliced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut from about 2 ears
- 1 cup fennel bulb, diced or sliced
- 1 cup cauliflower florets, sliced
Brine
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- ⅔ cups cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- Rinse and prep the vegetables, mix together in a bowl and set aside
- In a large non-reactive saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve (do not inhale the fumes).
- Add the mustard seed, celery seed and ground turmeric and stir.
- Add the reserved vegetable mixture and return the liquid to a boil.
- Turn off heat, cover and let steep until the cabbage is crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the chow-chow with its liquid to a clean 1-quart jar.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors.
- (The Chow-Chow can be refrigerated for at least 3 weeks. Serve at room temperature)
