Mixed Vegetable Relish Food

BEST HOMEMADE GIARDINIERA (HOT OR MILD)

Steps:

• Place the chopped veggies a large non-reactive pot or bowl. Pour 1/4 cup kosher salt over the vegetables and enough water to cover them. Let the vegetables soak in the salt water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• To prepare the jars, place the spices into each of the jars, reserving the garlic and olive oil until after the brine is added. (I like to make some jars hot and some mild by adding/omitting the red chili flakes).
• Thoroughly rinse and drain the vegetables before dividing them up between the jars. Pack the vegetables in as tightly as you can. Place a clove of garlic (cut in half) in each jar.
• To make the brine: Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil. Pour the boiling brine over the vegetables leaving a little more than 1/2 inch headspace from the top. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil over the top in each jar. Thoroughly wipe the rims with a wet paper towel, ensuring no oil or other residue is on them, and seal the jars.
• If you plan on using the giardiniera within two weeks let the jars sit at room temperature for a day or two and then transfer them to the fridge. The flavor only gets better with time so wait at least 2-3 days before eating it. Will keep refrigerated for 2 weeks.
• If you're canning the giardiniera for long-term storage, seal the jars with the lids and rims and prepare a boiling water bath. Boil the jars for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours before moving them.If processed in the water bath, the giardiniera is best consumed within 6 months but will keep for at least a year.**IMPORTANT NOTE: If you're canning the jars for long-term storage it is critical to be sure you thoroughly wipe the rims of the jars to ensure no oil residue is on them, otherwise they will not seal properly. Alternatively, you can omit the oil during canning and add it later to your giardiniera when you open the jar.

CHAKALAKA (SPICY VEGETABLE RELISH)

Steps:

• Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot set over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, and salt. Cook, stirring, just until the spices are wonderfully fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, and tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, giving the mixture a stir every so often, until all the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the vinegar, and season the chakalaka to taste with salt. Let the chakalaka cool to room temperature and season it to taste one final time. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, then serve it either cold or at room temperature.

END OF GARDEN RELISH

Steps:

• Toss first 5 ingredients; let stand 3 hours. Drain; squeeze and blot dry with paper towels., In a Dutch oven, mix sugar, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes., Ladle hot mixture into hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 20 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

EASY PICKLED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Place cauliflower, onions, cucumbers and peppers in a large bowl. In another large bowl, mix ice water and salt; pour over vegetables. Let stand 4 hours., Rinse vegetables and drain well. In a Dutch oven, bring sugar, vinegar, celery seed, turmeric and cloves to a boil. Add drained vegetable mixture; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are heated through, 5 minutes., Pack hot vegetables and liquid into six hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot liquid. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

HOT ITALIAN GIARDINIERA

Steps:

• Place into a bowl the green and red peppers, jalapenos, celery, carrots, onion, and cauliflower. Stir in salt, and fill with enough cold water to cover. Place plastic wrap or aluminum foil over the bowl, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, drain salty water, and rinse vegetables. In a bowl, mix together garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and olives. Pour in vinegar and olive oil, and mix well. Combine with vegetable mixture, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days before using.

EIGHT VEGETABLE RELISH

Steps:

• Add the first 8 ingredients to a very large bowl; gently stir to combine.
• Add pickling salt; stir to combine.
• Cover and let sit in a cool place for 12-18 hours; drain well and set aside.
• Add the remaining ingredients to a 10-quart stock pot; simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Add in the vegetable mixture; simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.
• Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Immediately ladle relish into hot sterilized jars; leave 1/4 inch headspace.
• Cover with lids and make sure bands are screwed on tightly.
• Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
• Let cool.

MIXED VEGETABLE RELISH

Steps:

• Cut out the stem and end of the tomatoes. Grind all the vegetables together in a meat grinder, using the coarsest blade. Place in a large bowl. Cover with well-salted water and let stand overnight. The next day pour vegetables and brine into a large pot, bring to a broil and drain. Mix flour, sugar, turmeric and mustard in a pot, add the vinegar and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add drained vegetables. Cook over low heat until mixture is fairly thick and vegetables tender. Ladle into hot, sterilized preserving jars, cover and seal.

GIARDINIERA, SWEET AND/OR HOT (PICKLED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Sweet: Combine all ingredients and refrigerate in a clean, tightly closed glass jar for 2 days before serving.
• Hot: Combine the water, vinegar, and salt in a pan and boil for a minute or so.
• Pour the hot mixture over the vegetables leaving 1/4 inch head space and cover.
• Allow the hot peppers and vegetables to pickle in a cool place for 2 to 3 weeks before serving.

SWEET PICKLE RELISH

Steps:

• Combine cucumbers, onions, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper in a large bowl; add salt and pour in enough cold water to cover. Allow to soak for 2 hours. Thoroughly drain in a colander.
• Pour vinegar into a large, heavy stainless steel pot; add celery seed and mustard seed. Stir sugar into mixture and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the drained vegetable mixture and return to a boil, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack relish into hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.