Hot Giardiniera Relish

Well I had extra cauliflower and red peppers from the garden. I knew I had to make something and make it quick. I have yearned to make a Giardiniera mix for a long time. Well here is my opportunity. I really wanted to mix up a spicy mix because if you know anything abut Chicago Peeps they like their Giardiniera Mix HOT.  Well, so far the taste is a bit tart yet Hot as expected. Strange but great on a sandwich.











Alright let's begin. I added jalapenos with the seeds and did not use any pickling cucumbers. The original recipe I tweaked from is at a site called Chicago Now.





The way I tweaked this recipe it has a delightful taste. I would describe it as a tangy relish.  The thing I really adore about this is I am not a big relish person but knowing that there are so many good veggies in this makes me want to try it on all my sandwiches and do not stop there. I used it yesterday with some cheese and home made crackers.

Ingredients

2 cups cauliflower florets 

2 white onion

4 cups celery

2 cups carrots

2 cups red peppers
5 jalapenos chopped and seeded (keep the seed if you want more heat)
1 cup of pimento olives cleaned and drained and chopped

5 cups Apple Cider Vinegar (5 percent)
1 cup of Pure Olive Oil 

1/8 cup prepared mustard 

1/4 cup canning/pickling salt 

3 tbs celery seeds 

2 tbs mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

                                           Directions

With all the veggies I cut them and put them into the food processor to get the same consistency as that of a relish. This ended up being such an easy recipe to make. The next batch I do I am going to take add cloves and the sugar and make it a little sweet and spicy.






Prior to chopping the vegetables. Combine the cleaned cut vegetables cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours with a 1/4 cup of pickling or kosher salt. (Please note that this is not mandatory if salt is not your thing skip this step) After one to two hours rinse well and chop up in the food processor.

In large pot, on medium heat combine vinegar and mustard and mix well.

Add celery seed, mustard seed, and spices.

Bring to a rolling boil





Now add the vegetables to hot liquid mix.

Cover bring to a boil for no more than 5 minutes.

Drain vegetables but save pickling solution

Put vegetables in sterile 1/2 pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space (this allows room for liquid)
* I use half pint because I never truly use that much at one time. But you can use either.

Add the liquid solution, leaving 1/4-inch head space







Wipe the rims,add the lids, tighten the rings and process jars for 15 minutes. I like to put a couple of carrot slices on the bottom of the jars and one or two on the top right before I put them into their bath.



You can see by my picture that some of the veggies did not get chopped up but I think the different sizes make a nice look so home made

Once they are processed remove the jar's and place them on a cloth cover counter overnight. Once cooled remove the rings , clean the jars. Now label your jars with contents and date. 

Enjoy !




Disclaimer: This is not an all inclusive recipe for making jam. You should have a basic knowledge and understanding of the canning process before proceeding. Please consult your local Center for Home Preservation for additional information and available classes.