Me and my husband are chalk and cheese when it comes to condiments. I love tart and sweet chutney, where he prefers a hot tangy relish. His favourite being piccalilli.
We've been together 6 years, and every year when I do my Christmas chutney making or pickling, he asks meekly if I might try to make a batch of piccalilli. This year I've decided to make him his own batch for Christmas (darling if your reading this, you better still act suprised!).
Ingredients (makes approx 8 jars)
We've been together 6 years, and every year when I do my Christmas chutney making or pickling, he asks meekly if I might try to make a batch of piccalilli. This year I've decided to make him his own batch for Christmas (darling if your reading this, you better still act suprised!).
Ingredients (makes approx 8 jars)
- One large cauliflower, chopped into small florettes (save the stalks you can use them to make this delicious soup)
- Two and a half white onions finely chopped
- 200g fine green beans - chopped in 1cm length
- One small marrow (or two small cucumbers) seeded and chopped
- 100g salt
- Two tbsp Mustard powder
- Two tbsp Honey
- Two tbsp Turmeric powder
- One tbsp Ginger powder
- One tsp chilli flakes
- One tsp jerk powder
- Two crushed cloves garlic
- 600ml vinegar (white wine vinegar or cider vinegar is preferable, however I used malt vinegar to make piccalilli and it worked fine)
- Five tbsp flour
Step One- brining the vegetables
In a large stainless steel or glass bowl, layer the prepared vegetables. Sprinkle each layer with a generous helping of salt. The pour water over the vegetables, cover and leave in brine overnight.
Step Two- pickling the mix
After leaving the veg for 24 hours, drain the water from the bowl.
Put the spices, vinegar and honey, in a large sauce warm on medium heat and stir until the honey melts.
Then add the vegetables and the garlic, leave on the job on a medium heat for 30 minutes. Allowing the mix to heat through slowly.
Once the colours changed, add in the flour to thicken the piccalilli.
Sterilise the jars in a hot oven for five minutes.
Spoon the piccalilli into the jars, allow to cool before sealing the lids.
Piccalilli is best served after allowing the flavours to develop for at least two weeks, and will keep for up to a year.
This festive piccalilli is delicious side dish for buffets this Christmas, and makes a scrummy accompaniment to pork pies and cold cuts. I just hope my husband enjoys it!
If piccalilli isn't your thing, why not try my homemade Christmas Chutney recipe.