Piccalilli Circus

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

Now that September is here my mind is on what to pickle next.

It's a muggy day today but I'm having none of it. No way.

My mind is on the chilly days & evenings coming up.

I've been on a mission to find preserving jars.

There's a culinary task ahead you see.

P I C C A L I L L I 

Never made it before. 

Jars purchased, washed & sterilised.

To fill 3 half litre screw top jars 

500g Cauliflower broken into florets

200g Shallots or Small Onions peeled

100g Yellow or Green Courgette sliced into chunks

100g Green Beans tidied at both ends

100g Small Yellow Toms (or green or whichever interesting ones you come across)

Pop all of the above lovelies into a big bowl covered with 2/3 tbsps of salt & a tea towel & leave for 3/4 hours

Drain the water & then rinse the veg & toms

Now for the pickling part

30g Cornflour

10g English Mustard Powder

15g Mustard Seeds (yellow or black)

10g Turmeric

1tsp Coriander Seeds

1tsp Pickling Seeds

100ml Cider Vinegar

Dry ingredients mixed together with the vinegar to form a paste

Now for the pickling sorcery

Into a pan

500ml Cider Vinegar

150g Granulated Sugar

50g Honey

2/3 Bay Leaves

Heat gently

Add a little of the warm mixture to your spicy paste & stir

That paste then joins the pan

Bring to the boil, those spices need to live a little - give it about 4 minutes

Off the heat

Fold the Veg & Toms into the spicy sauce - carefully - don't break up the beauties

Divide into the jars, seal

Leave unopened for 6 weeks to 3 months 

Use within a year

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

Once opened, refrigerate & eat within 4-6 weeks

Delicious with just about everything from a cheese, ham or beef sandwich to being a best friend to a slice of pork pie or simply being a co-star for a Ploughman's.

Ooh .. or a sidekick to pâté.

AMM