Sunday 1 August 2010

Cucumber Relish

Cucumber Relish

6 medium-sized cucumbers peeled and sliced
4 onions halved and sliced


Put in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover with a tea towel and allow to stand for 2 hours. Drain the liquid out in a colander and wash the salt out with cold water.

Put well washed bottles into oven at 100C to heat. Pour boiling water into the lids.

½ teaspoon ginger
500 grams brown sugar
1 ¼ cups white vinegar
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice


Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan. Boil for 8 minutes. Fill the hot jars with the cucumber and onion mixture using a slotted spoon. When full pour in the liquid to overflowing, seal with the lids. Wash the bottles off with hot water.


This quantity made up one very large jar and one jam jar. It would probably make 3 normal size jam jars.


I had a spoonful left over which tasted yummy, but I think it needs to be allowed to stand for at least a month to let the flavours mature.


Roz sent me the following recipe which I was keen to try, but as I was unable to get mustard seed after a search of 5 different shops, I opted for the above which is quite similar.


Cucumber pickle
3-4 large cucumbers
3 large onions
50g salt
550ml vinegar
500g brown sugar
1/2 level teaspoon turmeric (curcuma)
1/4 level teaspoon ground cloves (clous de girofle)
1 tablespoon mustard seed (black is nicest)



Slice (peeled) cucumbers and onions. Layer them with salt in colander over a bowl. Leave for 3 hrs.
Put vinegar, sugar and spices in large saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolved. Add cucumber and onion to pot. bring to boil and simmer
uncovered for just one minute.
Remove pan from heat. Use draining spoon to lift cucumbers etc out and into
jars. Boil the spiced vinegar, again uncovered for about 15 minutes until it has reduced to about half.
Pour mixture into jars to cover contents. (Save any let over to top up of for
another batch) seal immediately and store for a month before serving.



Fills about 1 1/2 litres.


Just as I finished this post, the owner of the 'Natural is Best' / "C'est la Nature qui a raison"  shop in Chasseneuil sur Bonnieure, phoned me to say she had ordered mustard seed for me and it would arrive on Tuesday. She is so good about ordering  unstocked items for people!  So, I will try the second recipe next week when I pick the next batch of cucumbers.
 

28 comments:

  1. Long ago, when I had a garden and froze and canned vegies like crazy I so enjoyed the rewards during the long winter. I must have tried almost every recipe in the "Ball" canning book. That was in a different life. Enjoy the pickles.

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  2. I love pickles and relish. Both your recipes look and sound delicious. You are going to need a shipping container to get all you preserve this summer back to England for the winter :-). I hope the day treats you well. Blessings...Mary

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  3. Gaelyn I would never give up the life you have, (or not till too hold to cope!)for a garden if I could look at the views daily that you do. Diane

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  4. Mary I have a very large Ford, Mondeo Estate that will cope well with transporting all the jars back. Plus a years supply of wine as it is so much cheaper here:) The Mondeo has even been bringing railway sleepers over here and still loaded to the roof with everything else. In fact all our furniture in the house here in France, including the large fridge/freezer have all come over at various times in the Mondeo. Each trip Nigel says you will never get everything in, but seldom has anything been left behind!
    Have a good day. Diane

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  5. The spicing for the relish is fab... I have a 1/2 cucumber left over and would love to give this a try... 5 spice is a fabulous addition!!!

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  6. loonpastremembered, it was just an idea that I thought might give it a change of taste. Diane

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  7. This year I'm growing cucumbers for the first time in my "pot garden". My grandmother has been asking me to make piccalilli as it's a childhood favorite of hers. I'd bet she'd also really love if I made this delicious relish with the cucumbers. I LOVE pickles and pickled cabbage myself, so I know I'd love it! Thank you for sharing.

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  8. Ree I also like piccalilli but I have not grown cauliflower. I have picked 12 cucumbers this week and there are many still coming on! Diane

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  9. These pickles are lovely. Good to know they are ordering mustard seeds for you, I was about to send you some myself, black brown and yellow ones! :D That and some grits!

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  10. You have a lot of cucumbers in your garden don't you?

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  11. Lyndsey I have to say they seem to have only heard of yellow mustard seed here, but I am sure it will do. I am surprised as Dijon is the mustard capital!!

    Thank you so much for your offer, I really appreciate it but I will let you know how I get on.

    I suspect the cost of postage would be quite high but thanks for the thought. Have a good day, Diane

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  12. Bo last year I thought my cucumbers were good, but this year they have taken off like a weed. I can only eat so many fresh on my own, so we may as well enjoy the relish and pickle during winter:-) Diane

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  13. I have got to try both of these Diane. Both sound yummy!!

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  14. Hi Joan, they are so easy to do and I am looking forward to cucumber in winter now! Diane

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  15. Thank you for stopping by my blog, I just following you. We make similar cucumber pickle here, looking forward to try your recipe, sound yummy.

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  16. I haven't grown any cucumbers this year - but I think I will buy some to make these recipes!!!x

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  17. Sonia, thanks for following and visiting. It was an easy recipe so hope you enjoy it. Diane

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  18. Hi Roz, I will pick up the mustard seed tomorrow to try the other recipe. I am quite looking forward to cucumbers in winter:) Diane x

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  19. Oh this one I love it! I haven't tried making relish... maybe someday! Have a great day!

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  20. How nice that you have a local shop keeper who will try to assist you in getting things she doesn't have in stock! Great use of your cucumbers, Diane.

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  21. lani the bit I tasted was really yummy but I am sure it will be better after it has matured a bit. Diane

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  22. Marjie I guess it is good for business as it means you will always go back there again. Diane

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  23. Sounds yummy. I love cucumbers. Wish I could eat my fill of them but the seeds do not like me.

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  24. Hi Becca that sound like diverticulitis. Small seeds, like from berries bug me, but cucumber is fine. Not really difficult to cut the seeds out though. Diane

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  25. Yes, I see your beautiful swallow tail!
    I wonder how you put photos on the side of your page... With which gadget??
    Have a great evening, Diane!

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  26. Carine I will try and send you an email with the details later. Just busy at the moment. Diane

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  27. Having read your blog I'm gong to try the cucumber relish, I have also left a recipe on A Femme d'Un Certain Age blog for a scrummy brown sauce that rivals a well known brand, you might find it useful to use up some of those plums.

    We have a property in France in the Languedoc and my dream is also to live there permenantly, but until then I am a voyeur.

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  28. Thanks Anonymous for your comments. I will have a look for the blog and see if I can find your recipe for the plums. Thanks. Diane

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