When life gives you zucchini... make Zucchini Relish! I actually love this time of year because I get such a kick out of all the zucchini bounty to be used up!
You need to plan ahead for this recipe because the vegetable mixture needs to sit overnight. You can chop up your ingredients the first day and make sure your mason jars are clean and you have enough lids etc. Get your canning equipment rounded up- roasting pan, or canner, dutch oven, tongs etc. Then the second day goes fairly quickly because you have your equipment lined up and ready to go.
First you are going pulse the vegetables in your food processor. Pulse gently in batches so you don't over process the vegetables. This mixture, with some salt is going to sit overnight in the fridge.
Then you are going to rinse the vegetables and drain them well. I love this colander that fits over my sink!
The next step is to simmer the syrup and vegetable mixture.
For the canning technique, I use the bottom of a large flat roasting pan straddled over my front and back burners. I fill the pan half way with water and bring it to a simmer. Then I invert my (clean) mason jars and let them simmer for about 15 minutes to sterilize. The caps and jar rings go in for about 5 minutes just before I am going to put them on the filled jars.
Some preserves call for a water bath to help seal them. I was able to add enough additional water to the bottom of my roasting pan to cover my jars. Bring your water bath to a gentle simmer. After I have filled the jars, wiped the lip, attached the rubberized top and fastened the screw on band I transfer them to the roaster pan. (Note: the metal screw on ring should only be finger tight. Don't try to force it on really tightly.) Once they are all nicely submerged I simmer them for about 10 minutes.
Remove the hot jars carefully with tongs and have lots of towels handy to catch drips and insulate you from the heat.
I let the hot jars stand on towels, away from drafts, to catch the drips while they are cooling. You hear all these lovely pops as your relish gets sealed in air tight!
When they are cool check the screw on ring band. You may need to tighten some up again. Don't worry if you have to tighten them again- the flat top with the rubber ring will be tightly sealed to the jar mouth.
Store your relish in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
This Zucchini Relish is similar to the many other recipes out there except that I reduced the sugar from 6 cups to 5 cups. It still seems like a lot but when you spread if over 6-7 pints and the fact you only use a teaspoon -a tablespoon at a time - it makes it seem better.
I used it in light mayonnaise to make a tartar sauce to go with these Lemon Pepper Haddock Bites. The combination is to die for!
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Here is some canning equipment I can recommend. Note -these are affiliate links which means if you decide to order any of it via my link I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
[easyazon_link identifier="B0001UZL80" locale="CA" tag="thewinlovskit-20"]Granite Ware 706-2 11.5-Quart Covered Preserving Canner with Rack[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier="B01C4K80B4" locale="CA" tag="thewinlovskit-20"]Bernardin 750ml Wide Mouth Jars, 9-Pack, Clear[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier="B075QDS9VZ" locale="CA" tag="thewinlovskit-20"]Kitchen Strainer - 6-Quart Capacity - Colander Collapsible Over The Sink Colander with Extendable Handles Food-Grade-Silicone Space-Saver Folding by Ninonly Green & Grey[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_link identifier="B002CGRVIO" locale="CA" tag="thewinlovskit-20"]HIC Brands that Cook 5-Piece Canning Set[/easyazon_link]
Zucchini Relish
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Save Print Pin FacebookIngredients
Relish
- 10 cups zucchini
- 4 cups onion
- 2 sweet red peppers
- 1 tablespoon salt
Syrup
- 2 ½ cups pickling vinegar
- 5 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon mustard seed
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon celery seed
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and quarter onions. Seed and quarter red peppers. Zucchini should be split lengthwise and seeds removed by scraping a small spoon down the center. Cut zucchini halves into 4" chunks.
- Working in batches place about ⅓ of each vegetable in the food processor and pulse until it is a coarse grate. Do not over process or you will have mush. Repeat with the remaining vegetables in 2 more batches.
- Transfer chopped vegetables to a large bowl. Add the 1 tablespoon of salt and mix in. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day rinse the vegetable mixture with cold water and drain well in a colander.
- While the vegetables are draining heat the syrup ingredients in a large pot. |(Pot should be large enough to eventually hold the vegetable mixture and the syrup.) Stir the syrup until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the vegetable mixture and simmer 30 minutes.
- While the mixture is simmering, sterilize your jars for 15 minutes and lids for 5 minutes.
- Fill hot jars with hot zucchini mixture. Clean the rim of the jars and seal with the rubber lid and screw band. Do not over tighten the screw band- just finger tight.
- Add enough water to your canning vessel to cover the sealed jars. Bring water to a boil, submerge the jars and simmer for 10 minutes in the water bath.
- Remove jars with tongs and hot towels. Allow jars to come to room temperature away from drafts. When cool double check the screw bands. You may need to tighten some again. You will hear pops as the jars cool when the lid seal is suctioned to the jar rim.
- Store jars in a cool, dark place up to one year. The seal should be tight when you go to open. If any are not sealed at the point of opening do not use them. (I have never had this actually happen.)
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