Piccalilli

Just to recap, yumblog has been going for almost five months now and in that time we have picked up a readership of three – a friend, a sister and a nice man from Terroni & Sons. Quality rather than quantity I feel. So Mr Prudence, Toria and Nunzio, this recipe for piccalilli is for you. Happy New Year. x

See footnote before you make this!

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Skill level: Easy

Ingredients

• malt vinegar – 700ml
• cider vinegar – 150ml
• cauliflower – 500g – broken into small florets
• 2 onions – chopped
• french or green beans – 100g – cut into 1 cm slices
• 1/2 cucumber – quartered lengthways and cut into 1 cm slices
• coriander seeds – 2tbsp
• english mustard powder – 3tbsp
• plain flour – 3tbsp
• turmeric – 1tbsp
• ground ginger – 2tsp
• sugar – 200g
• 2 garlic cloves – thinly sliced

Put the malt vinegar and coriander seeds into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the cauliflower and onion and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the mustard, flour, turmeric and ginger in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the cider vinegar until smooth.

Add the remaining vegetables, sugar and garlic to the cauliflower pan and stir over the heat for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Drain over a large bowl to collect the vinegar.

Put the mustard mixure in the large saucepan and and bring to the boil. Slowly add the drained malt vinegar and simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce. When thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add the drained vegetables, stir and remove from the heat.

Spoon into sterilised jars and cover with plastic discs secured with elastic bands.

Verdict: Open the window when making this as it will fill the kitchen with the cloying smell of hot vinegar. As to what the pickle tastes like, I’m not sure as it takes a few weeks to mature. I’ll let you know when I get to taste it. Visually it lacks the high-visibility yellow fluorenscency of your shop-bought piccalilli.

Drink: An after work cup of tea.

Entertainment: The Archers. Ruth explains to Pip the process of breast augmentation.

Footnote: Ten weeks later. This morning I ran out of Branston midway through making some cheese and pickle sandwiches, so I finally opened up this piccalilli. Hmm, not quite sure I like it. It’s very ‘sharp’ and is a little overwhelmed by the coriander seeds. I’ll probably plow through it but wouldn’t make it again or recommend it to anyone.

Another footnote: On refection this is terrible – threw it away.