Particularly Piccalilli

I was writing about preserving fruit and vegetables yesterday and mentioned pickles and chutneys. I’ve had a few disasters trying to preserve things – I don’t even want to think about the disaster that was my attempt to salt beans. They were lovely beans too, home grown!! One thing I am quite good at is the aforementioned pickles and chutneys, particularly Piccalilli. I’ve written about it before, but here’s a different version of the recipe I use (I tend to add in extra veg as they are available or as it occurs to me!)

Piccalilli

• 2 lbs diced vegetables including beans and cauliflower and anything else you fancy
• 2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large red pepper, finely chopped
• ¼ cup salt (or less – I don’t like overly salty things so I do use less, but you must use some!)
• 1 lb sugar
• 16fl oz cider vinegar
• 2tsp mustard powder
• 2tsp turmeric
• 2tsp cornflour
• extra vinegar as needed

1. put all the vegetables in a bowl, add salt and mix well. Leave to stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse and drain really well.
2. mix the sugar, vinegar, mustard powder and turmeric in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the vegetables, bring back to boil and cook about 25 minutes.
3. if the mixture is  thin, mix the cornflour to a paste with the extra vinegar and stir through. Cook for a couple more minutes.
4. spoon into warm sterilised bottles and seal. Eat immediately or keep for up to a year – I have never found this is possible!!!.