Bright Green Chicago Relish Recipes

SWEET GREEN RELISH

Steps:

• Wash and scrub the cucumbers under cold running water, trim off both ends, leave skin on. Chop into large chunks, then finely chop in a food processor (use pulse) or put through a food mill. Put in a large pot or very large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt OR salt sub, mix the vegetables and salt with your hands. Top with enough cold water to cover completely. (The exact quantity of water doesn't matter.) Let stand for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, you can prep the onion and set aside.
• Drain the cucumber, rinse and drain again.
• In large pot, mix together everything from the vinegar down to and including the mustard seed, then stir in the onion and then the cucumber.
• Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pack hot into quarter-litre (1/2 US pint) jars or half-litre (US pint) jars.
• Leave 2 cm (1/2 inch) headspace for either size jar.
• Debubble, adjust headspace.
• Wipe jar rims.
• Put lids on.
• Process in a water bath or steam canner.
• Process either size jar for 15 minutes; increase time as needed for your altitude.
• Best after at least a month of jar time.

THE HIRSHON CHICAGO ATOMIC GREEN HOT DOG RELISH

Steps:

• Use the coarse blade of a grinder. Combine all veggies in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, cover with cold water and let stand for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Drain thoroughly in a colander and press out all excess liquid.
• Combine the sugar, vinegar, turmeric, celery seed and mustard seed. Bring to boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in drained veggies, simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add a bit of cornstarch slurry (add small amounts as necessary until thickened to relish consistency). Add a FEW drops of blue food coloring until proper neon green color is achieved. The use of Turmeric in the TFD recipe really helps with this process!
• Pack into pint canning jars to within ½ inch of the top. Put on canning lid and band.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. This makes 5-6 pints.
• Make sure that you don't boil the filled jars too hard or the celery seed might become stuck between the lid and jar rim which would prevent the jars from sealing.

CHICAGO HOT RELISH

Steps:

• Chop first 4 ingredients (not salt); add salt and mix well.
• Put in cheesecloth and hang over drip pan overnight (throw out juices).
• In the morning, add celery, mustard seed, vinegar and sugar; mix well.
• Can without cooking. First wash jars well, then scald jars and lids. Put the cold relish in the hot jars and put the hot lids on. The jars will not pop & seal, but the salt, vinegar and sugar will preserve this relish for up to 6 months (if it lasts that long at your house--it doesn't at ours).