Recipe: Sweet Pickle Relish (using cucumbers, bell peppers and onion)

SWEET PICKLE RELISH
"Colorful and delicious, this remarkable relish will delight your picnic guests."

3 quarts cucumbers, scrubbed and chopped
3 cups green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
3 cups red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
8 cups water
4 cups ice cubes
3/4 cup salt
4 teaspoons ground turmeric
4 teaspoons whole allspice
4 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon whole cloves
6 cups distilled white vinegar
2 cups sugar

In a 12-quart saucepan, combine the vegetables, water, ice, and salt; let stand for 4 hours.

Drain and re-cover with fresh ice and water for 1 additional hour. Drain thoroughly; set aside.

Combine the spices in a cheesecloth bag. Place the spice bag, vinegar, and sugar in a nonreactive 4-quart saucepan and heat to boiling. Pour the vinegar syrup over the vegetables and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Heat the mixture to boiling and ladle into sterile jars (9 pints), leaving 1/2-inch of head-space. Cap and seal.

Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water-bath canner. Adjust for altitude, if necessary.

Note: A food processor can be used to chop the vegetables in batches by pulsing the motor.

Makes 9 pints
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Storey Publishing
Source: The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest by Carol W. Costenbade