Fresh Cut Chunky Sweet Pickle Relish

Relish cooling in jars.

I like to see what is in what I am eating so when I saw this recipe which I have adapted from Williams-Sonoma and the delightful colorful chunks it peeked my interest.  It was noted on the recipe you can use the food processor if preferred but that was the furthest thing from my mind.  We don't use a lot of pickle relish.  I never use it in salads, just to top an occasional hot dog or brat.  But, this I might well use in potato salad or macaroni salad or other salads because it is not ground to mush!  My dice was not fine but it was smaller than I would have used for normal cooking.  The dice I choose to use was about the size of a ladies little fingernail. 

I have 5 pounds of cucumbers on hand from the garden and this recipe calls for 2 1/2 pounds so I got busy and started a batch.

Ingredients for Fresh Cut Chunky Sweet Pickle Relish:

2 1/2 lb.  diced cucumbers  (4 or 5 medium)
1 large sweet Vidalia or other sweet onion diced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 C. kosher salt
3 C. sugar
2 C. cider vinegar
1 T. celery seed
1 T. brown mustard seed
2 t. whole allspice
water

Combine the cucumbers, onion, red and yellow bell peppers in a large nonreactive bowl.  Pour the salt over the mixture, add enough cold water to cover and stir gently to mix.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 6 and up to 24 hours. 

Ready 4 hot, sterile one pint jars and lids.

Drain the cucumber mixture into a colander and rinse and drain again.  Transfer to a large non- reactive kettle and add the sugar, vinegar, celery seeds,and mustard seeds.  Place the allspice in a tea ball or on a square of cheese cloth and tie it up with kitchen twine into a ball.  Add the spice bag to the cucumber mixture.  Stir well and heat over a medium high burner.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered stirring frequently for 10 minutes.  Discard the allspice bag or tea ball.  Ladle the hot relish into jars leaving 1/4 " head space.   Remove any air bubbles and adjust the head space as needed.  Wipe the rims of the jars if needed and seal tightly with the lids. 

Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.  If the seal fails store the jar in the refrigerator and use within a month. 

Yield 4 one pint jars.

I was also fortunate enough to have enough basil to make up another batch of pesto and freeze and I picked 2 more tomatoes and some peppers this morning.