Spicy Texas Cucuzza Pepper Relish Food

SHEET-PAN FISH WITH CHARD AND SPICY RED-PEPPER RELISH

Steps:

• Make the red-pepper relish: Combine red peppers, onion, garlic, ginger and habanero pepper in a food processor. Pulse into a coarsely chopped purée. (You can also finely mince the ingredients with a sharp knife.)
• In a shallow medium sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add the turmeric, and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the relish and crushed tomato, and bring up to a simmer. Allow the relish to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened to a paste and turns a shade darker in color, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt to taste.
• Prepare the fish: Set the oven to broil. Using a sharp knife, score the skin side of the fillets by making 2 parallel cuts across the width. Be careful not to cut all the way through the flesh. Place the fillets on a large rimmed baking sheet, and season both sides with salt. Using a spoon or gloved hands, spread 1 cup of the relish generously over both sides of each fillet, working the marinade into the cuts.
• Scatter the chard around the edges of the fillets on the pan, tucking a few pieces under the fish. (You want a nice char on the fish, so don't cover the fillets with chard pieces.) Drizzle the fillets and chard with oil, and season with more salt. Broil until fish is charred in spots, cooked through and the chard is starting to wilt and brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• As the fish cooks, make a quick dressing: Combine the remaining relish, lime zest, juice and 1/4 cup oil. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and scatter the torn cilantro over the fish and chard. Spoon the dressing over everything. Serve fish with any leftover dressing on the side.

SWEET AND SPICY PEPPER RELISH

Steps:

• Wearing rubber or latex gloves, trim tops off chiles. Working in batches, pulse chiles, bell peppers, and onion in a food processor until chopped into fine bits, about 1 minute per batch. Transfer to a nonreactive 3-quart pot.
• Stir sugar, vinegar, and salt into chile mixture and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring more frequently toward end of cooking to prevent scorching, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Pour or ladle relish into clean, wide-mouth, half-pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean with a damp paper towel. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Apply clean lids. Enjoy immediately, store in fridge 2 to 3 weeks, or freeze up to 6 months.

SPICY TEXAS CUCUZZA-PEPPER RELISH

Steps:

• Finely chop cucuzza, onion, bell peppers and jalapeños. (This can be a time consuming step, so I use my Pampered Chef food chopper).
• Place cucuzza, onions, bell peppers and jalapeños in a large mixing bowl.
• Sprinkle pickling salt over cucuzza mixture and stir well to combine.
• Let cucuzza mixture sit on the counter at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Thoroughly rinse cucuzza mixture in a strainer under cold running water.
• Use a wooden spoon to press the veggies against the side of the strainer to drain as much water as you can.
• Place drained cucuzza mixture in a clean bowl.
• Let sit on the counter for an additional 15 minutes, then drain again to remove excess water.
• In a large stockpot, combine vinegar, sugar, Thai peppers, celery seeds, cayenne pepper, turmeric and black pepper.
• Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove Thai peppers from pot and discard.
• Add chopped cucuzza mixture to the stockpot.
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until veggies are tender.
• In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch; mix to dissolve.
• Pour cornstarch mixture into stockpot and cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour into sterilized canning jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

SPICED RUBY AND EMERALD INDIAN PEPPER RELISH - CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Place all the prepared vegetables and fruit into a large preserving pan.
• Add the spices, sugar and vinegar and give them all a good stir.
• Bring them all to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until everything is soft; but make sure that the peppers still retain their shape. (Also make sure that the liquids have reduced and the relish is thick and holds together well).
• Remove from the heat, pot and cover straight away.
• Label and store in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 1 year.

BELL PEPPER RELISH

Steps:

• Grind or otherwise process peppers and onions into finely chopped, even mushy, consistency.
• Cover with boiling water and let stand 10 minutes.
• Drain well.
• Save juice to add to vinegar mixture if needed to cover vegetables.
• Add sugar, vinegar, celery seed and salt.
• Boil 15 minutes.
• Pour into sterilized canning jars and seal.