Garden relish is a great way to use the last pickings from our gardens!
By the end of summer, we have usually had our fill of fresh veggies from our garden. Typically by September, there are not enough cucumbers to make a batch of pickles or enough beans or cauliflower to make it worthwhile to freeze.
So, I created this recipe to use up the last of the summer’s garden produce. We don’t grow sweet corn but there are lots of local farmers who do. So that gets added to the mix with my veggies to make my garden relish.
Tip – if you don’t have much in your own garden, you can take advantage of bargain-priced veggies from your local market or grocer.
PRINT VERSION – Nancy’s Garden Relish
This recipe usually makes approximately 12 – 250ml jars or 6 – 500ml jars. It is delicious with roast beef, cold cuts, and burgers. And it is a great garden relish to share so why not gift a jar or two to a family member or friend at Christmas? Who wouldn’t like a yummy jar of freshness from your garden?
Ingredients for Nancy’s Yummy Garden Relish
- 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 6 cups cucumber, finely chopped. Remove seeds if cucumbers are extra large
- 3 cups kernels of sweet corn, raw cut off the cob
- 2 cups onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1 cup sweet red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cups raw yellow beans, cut into (½”) 1.25cm pieces
Hint ~ to lessen your prep time for chopping cucumbers, onion, celery, and red pepper, use a food processor, one vegetable at a time and run it only for a few seconds. You want some pieces and small chunks in relish, not mush.
Method
Combine all the above veggies in a large 10 to 12 litre stainless steel pot. Add the following:
- 4 cup white vinegar
- 2 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoon celery seed
- 2 tablespoons mustard seed
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 2 tablespoons of coarse pickling salt
Cook for 30 to 40 minutes on medium heat until veggies are tender, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
Ladle hot relish into hot sterilized jars, leaving ½” or 1cm headspace. Remove air bubbles (clean spoon or knife pushed down into the jar a couple of times) and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding a little more hot relish. Wipe the rim with a clean cloth or paper towel. Centre new hot lid on jar. Screw on band/ring down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight.
Places jars in a canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 8 minutes for 250ml jars or 15 minutes for 500ml jars. Carefully remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars with tongs and set on a dishtowel to cool and seal. Label and store in a cool dark place.
For more detail about safe canning methods, refer to Bernardin’s excellent resources.
Tip – Some fall vegetable garden relish recipes call for cabbage or green tomatoes. Substitute as you wish but ensure you have roughly the same volume of vegetables to balance the liquid and spices.
Enjoy the fresh tangy taste of this relish all winter!
About The Author: Nancy Abra
The family kitchen garden has always been a big part of my life from the early days growing up on a farm to current days gardening near Thorndale, Ontario.
I have honed my gardening knowledge with various courses including a certificate in Horticulture from the University of Guelph, ongoing training with the London Middlesex Master Gardeners, active membership with the local Horticultural Society and as a volunteer gardener at Fanshawe Pioneer Village, It has always been important to me to feed my family from the best of my garden or from locally grown produce. For almost 50 years of preserving, canning, pickling, and using heirloom recipes including some of my own creations, I have developed tasty preserves for my family and friends which I market locally with the brand name "From My Garden".
More posts by Nancy Abra