PHOTO: HEATHER CARSTON
MY garden has run amok this week with zucchinis (courgettes to the US), and cucumber.
Things to think about when doing such preserves are always keep everything well cleaned, your jars must be sterilised (washed and kept in oven at 100C for at least 25 minutes, lids in a pan of boiling water.
This relish can be stored for up to 12 months as long as the seal has taken properly (meaning it is concave). If it has not and you can move the centre of the lid in or out using pressure of your fingertip, you must refrigerate it and use within a month.
In saying that – like all good relishes, wait at least two weeks before use to allow the vinegars to settle and the flavours to meld.
This is a superb relish on an open, or ploughman’s sandwich as pictured above, using cold cuts of any type of meat or cheese. Ingredients 5 C shredded zucchini 5 C diced cucumber 3 C onion, very finely diced (red is best) 2 red capsicum, diced, seeds removed 5 Tbs salt 2 C white vinegar 1 C apple cider vinegar 1/2 C sugar 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp dill tips or seeds 2 tsp dried mustard ½ C finely diced celery 1 heaped tsp turmeric 1 heaped Tbs cornflour
Directions Finely dice cucumber after removing seeds, leaving skin on. Grate zucchini, excluding seeds – I use both yellow and green for this recipe. Put both in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Stir well. Let stand covered for four hours, but overnight is preferable if you can.
Drain the vegetables into a strainer, rinsing well under cold water. Press down, draining any excess moisture.
Finely dice onion, and capsicum. Onion needs to be quite small, while the peppers should be the same size as your cucumber, about 1cm or slightly less.
In a large pot bring vinegars, sugar, dill, dry mustard and minced garlic to a boil. Stir to make sure the sugar dissolves well.
Add the zucchini, cucumber, onion and capsicum to the mixture, stirring well until it boils. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Take half a cup of the liquid and mix with the cornflour until smooth. Pour into the relish, stir well and simmer for another minute or so until thickened.
Add turmeric and stir through again until well combined, cooking for another few minutes until mix is colourful and glossy.
Pour into sterilised jars, leaving 1cm head space from lip. Seal with lid. Check all seals on your lid within 12 hours, as noted above. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to use.
