Growing up in England, Piccalilli was commercially available, but none were as good as my grandmother's recipe. This was always a favorite with cheese. It is a good relish to have on hand and would be tasty in a ham sandwich.
INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):
- 1 pound salt
- 1 gallon water
- 2 pounds cauliflower, broken into small florets
- 2 pounds cucumber, peeled and diced
- 2 pounds pearl onions, halved
- 9 ounces white sugar
- 3 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 6 cups distilled white vinegar
- 1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
PREPARATION:
Dissolve the salt in the water, and add the cucumber, onions and cauliflower. Cover and leave for 24 hours. Drain the vegetables.
In a large pan, blend the sugar, mustard and ginger with 5 cups of vinegar. Stir in salt and vegetable mixture, bring to the boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Blend the flour and turmeric with the remaining 1 cup of vinegar and stir into the cooked vegetables. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour into sterilized canning jars.
In a large stock pot, pour water half way to top with boiling water. Using a holder, carefully lower jars into pot. Leave a 2-inch space between jars. Add more boiling water to cover them, about 2 inches above the tops. Bring to a boil and cover, processing for 15 minutes. Remove jars from pot. Put jars on a wood or cloth surface, several inches apart and allow to cool. Jars will be sealed.