Bright Green Chicago Relish Food

THE HIRSHON CHICAGO ATOMIC GREEN HOT DOG RELISH

Steps:

• Use the coarse blade of a grinder. Combine all veggies in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, cover with cold water and let stand for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Drain thoroughly in a colander and press out all excess liquid.
• Combine the sugar, vinegar, turmeric, celery seed and mustard seed. Bring to boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in drained veggies, simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add a bit of cornstarch slurry (add small amounts as necessary until thickened to relish consistency). Add a FEW drops of blue food coloring until proper neon green color is achieved. The use of Turmeric in the TFD recipe really helps with this process!
• Pack into pint canning jars to within ½ inch of the top. Put on canning lid and band.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. This makes 5-6 pints.
• Make sure that you don't boil the filled jars too hard or the celery seed might become stuck between the lid and jar rim which would prevent the jars from sealing.

CHICAGO-STYLE HOT DOG WITH HOMEMADE RELISH

Steps:

• Set up a large pot with a steamer insert and steam the franks until warm, about 5 minutes. When the franks are almost done, place the buns on top of the franks to steam, 1 to 2 minutes. Place the franks in the buns and top each with some of the onions, 2 peppers, some Homemade Bread and Butter Relish and slather with mustard. To serve, top the franks with a handful of Hand Cut Fries with Celery Salt, wrap each frank in foil and let steam, 2 to 3 minutes, before eating. Eat on the towel-lined trunk of a car.
• Combine the pickles, peppers and sugar in a bowl and mix well. Serve.
• Fill a 6-quart heavy pot or Dutch oven two-thirds of the way full with oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick sticks. Fry the potatoes in batches, until golden brown, 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with celery salt and serve immediately.

CHICAGO-STYLE HOT DOGS

Steps:

• Simmer frankfurters in beer or water for approximately 10 minutes.
• Warm buns in microwave, until slightly warm and soft.
• To assemble hot dogs, place frank in each bun.
• Add mustard to taste; top with dill spear, relish, onion, tomato, and 1-2 sport peppers (Jalapenos"might" be a reasonable substitute if you are desperate to find the sport peppers, but the taste won't be quite the same).
• Sprinkle with celery and poppy seeds.
• Serve.

CHICAGO HOT RELISH

Steps:

• Chop first 4 ingredients (not salt); add salt and mix well.
• Put in cheesecloth and hang over drip pan overnight (throw out juices).
• In the morning, add celery, mustard seed, vinegar and sugar; mix well.
• Can without cooking. First wash jars well, then scald jars and lids. Put the cold relish in the hot jars and put the hot lids on. The jars will not pop & seal, but the salt, vinegar and sugar will preserve this relish for up to 6 months (if it lasts that long at your house--it doesn't at ours).