Your hotdogs will relish these condiments

Last month, Jean Wilson wrote in looking for a sweet yellow hotdog relish she remembered from childhood that included cream as a rather unusual ingredient. We haven't found anything with cream, even after scouring the Internet and various cookbooks.

We do have a recipe from Margaret Robert of Ste. Agathe, who has been making a Million-Dollar Relish for 35 years that uses vegetables and seasonings similar to the ones Jean recalls. This is a garden-clearing preserve packed with cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers and onions. (Margaret has planted extra cukes this year, as her children tend to raid her pantry.) We also have a recipe for a quick Refrigerator Corn Relish that would be good with hotdogs.

If you can help with a recipe request, have your own request, or a favourite recipe you'd like to share, send an email to recipeswap@freepress.mb.ca, fax it to 697-7412, or write to Recipe Swap, c/o Alison Gillmor, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Please include your first and last name, address and telephone number.

 

Million-Dollar Relish

8 large cucumbers, unpeeled

1 large cauliflower

4 large onions

2 sweet green peppers

2 sweet red peppers

125 ml (1/2 cup) pickling salt

Dressing:

175 ml (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour

15 ml (1 tbsp) turmeric

15 ml (1 tbsp) mustard seed

15 ml (1 tbsp) celery seed

900 ml (4 cups) white vinegar

250 ml (1 cup) water

1.8 l (8 cups) granulated sugar

 

Put vegetables through a food chopper or grinder. Place in large bowl, cover with pickling salt and let stand overnight. In the morning, drain well.

Make dressing: In a large heavy pot over medium heat, combine flour, spices, vinegar, water and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to thicken. Add well-drained vegetables and cook 20 minutes longer. Fill sterilized canning jars and seal. (Novice canners should consult a cookbook or cooking website for full instructions on proper canning techniques.)

 

Tester's notes: A tasty relish. I don't have a hand-grinder so I used my food processor with the grating attachment, which probably chopped the vegetables just a little too finely. Next time I would probably chop them by hand. I also ended up with a high dressing-to-vegetables ratio (maybe because the cukes I used were on the small side). I just strained out the last of the vegetables and left some of the liquid in the pot to get a good consistency. I might cut back on the sugar a bit, as this recipe makes a very sweet relish.

 

Refrigerator Corn Relish

500 ml (2 cups) corn kernels (cut from about 3-4 ears of corn)

125 ml (1/2 cup) diced sweet red pepper

125 ml (1/2 cup) diced white onion

80 ml (1/3 cup) apple cider vinegar

45 ml (3 tbsp) granulated sugar

3 ml (3/4 tsp) salt

2 ml (1/2 tsp) mustard seeds

1 ml (1/4 tsp) celery seeds

1 ml (1/4 tsp) hot red pepper flakes

1 ml (1/4 tsp) turmeric

15 ml (1 tbsp) cornstarch

15 ml (1 tbsp) water

 

In medium saucepan, combine corn, red pepper and onion. Stir in vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, hot red pepper flakes and turmeric. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3 minutes. Combine cornstarch and water in a cup and stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add to saucepan and cook until mixture is thickened, about 1 minute. Ladle into a 500 ml (2-cup) canning jar. Seal with lid and let stand 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour, before opening. Store in the fridge and use within 1 month.

 

Tester's notes: A crisp, fresh-tasting relish, and very easy.