Zippee Summer Relish
Is your garden running over with zucchini? This Southern "relish" that can be eaten as a side dish is so yummy and so easy to make! I named it ZIPPEE relish..."Z" for Zuchinni and "ZIP" for the zing from the cherry peppers and "P" for Peppers!
Even if you have never home-canned before this is a great recipe to try! It came from my friend, Rita, and below you will find the recipe I tweaked-- to make it my own. I am hoping to make enough to give as gifts this year at our family Thanksgiving gathering ..... If we don't eat it all first!
NOTE: Using a slicer/shredder blade on a large food processor attachment makes this job fast & easy-just rinse and wash your fresh vegetables well and zip them through the shredder.
10 cups shredded zucchini (about 3 1/2 lbs)
(I even used Summer yellow squash and xlrg cucumbers from our garden as on one of my batches I didn't have enough zucchini....turned out the same!)
4 Large Onions, chopped
2 Medium green peppers chopped
2 medium red peppers chopped
6 large pickled cherry peppers (optional but gives is the nice zippy flavor)
(I even put my peppers through the slicer/shredder. Or if it is therapy for you then go ahead and chop by hand...for me...i just want it done and the mess cleaned up sooner rather than later so I use every shortcut possible!)
Place a layer of ice cubes in the bottom of a very large stainless steel bowl or pan. After all of the vegetables are shredded put them in the bowl/pan directly on top of the ice cubes.
[TIP: You could use a clean large plastic dishpan if that's all you have on hand.]
Then sprinkle 1/2 cup salt over it all and add another layer of ice cubes on top of the mixture. Cover with a clean cotton towel. Let stand for 1-2 hours. [TIP: Canning/pickling salt is recommended or I have had no issues when I have used sea salt.] This mixture will be rinsed and squeezed before adding to the vinegar mixture.
When time is up and shredded/salted mixture is well-chilled and the ice melted, set the pan in a large sink. Lift up mixture and place in large colander. Run cold water over all and rinse well. Pick up handfuls of the mixture and squeeze out excess water and put into a clean bowl. Do this until you have all the mixture rinsed and squeezed.
Add to a large stainless steel cooking pot (do not use aluminum cookware):
2 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups cider vinegar
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. pepper
Stir constantly and bring to a boil.
Now add the Zucchini mixture to the boiling vinegar mixture and return to a light boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 10 min, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2 in. head space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Hot water bath for 15 mins. Makes around 6 good pints.
We use this relish piled on top of burgers, dolloped on top of butter crackers with cream cheese, on a chili dog and with any meal that goes well with coleslaw. It is delish!
- Martha Greene
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