Weird tastes

I do have some weird tastes in some things – and very conventional tastes in others. I wasn’t very hungry at dinner time and decided to make a sandwich, and fancied one of my peculiar favourites – a banana and peanut butter sandwich. Does that sound weird to you? I don’t mind if it’s crunchy or smooth peanut butter, but I don’t like it to be too oily. I made my sandwich, and was just leaving the kitchen when I remembered another odd addition, piccalilli. Now, I love piccalilli, and in fact I used to make it… maybe I should start making it again, as the shop bought version was rather sweet and not really spicy enough. Here is the recipe I shared before for making this very particular relish:

• 6 lbs prepared vegetables (cauliflower, cucumber, marrow, small onions, beans, celery… and anything else you like!) I always add a couple of chopped chillies, but if you don’t like very hot flavours, then miss this out
• 3 pints white vinegar
• 8 teaspoons dry mustard powder
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger powder
• 9 oz granulated sugar
• 1 ½ oz plain flour (you may need to add a little more, depending on your vegetables)
• 5 teaspoons turmeric
• a teaspoon of peppercorns, half a dozen cloves, 5 star anise, a teaspoon allspice berries, half a cinnamon stick, – you can  miss these out if you want!

1. cut cucumber and marrow into small cubes, peel the onions, break the cauliflower into small florets, cut the beans into small, short slices
2. make a brine (salty water) with ½ pound salt to 4 pints of water; cover the vegetables in brine and leave over night
3. add the mustard and ginger to the vinegar
4. rinse and drain the vegetables (really important to rinse thoroughly so the pickle isn’t too salty)
5. heat teh vinegar and spices and add to the vegetables and simmer for 20 mins (don’t let the vegetables go too soft) drain and keep the vinegar, leaving vegetables in the pan or a bowl. If you are bothered by the whole spices then take them out if you have put them in
6. mix the flour and turmeric with a little cold vinegar to make a paste, then add to the hot vinegar drained from the cooked vegetables – stir thoroughly and bring to the boil then pour over vegetables and turn them gently over with a spoon so they are covered with the yellow vinegar and spices
7. put the vegetables into warm jars, seal… and wait for a couple of weeks for a delicious and yummy pickle
8. eat with cold meat or cheese