Crisp Fresh Vegetable Relish Recipes

EIGHT VEGETABLE RELISH

Steps:

• Add the first 8 ingredients to a very large bowl; gently stir to combine.
• Add pickling salt; stir to combine.
• Cover and let sit in a cool place for 12-18 hours; drain well and set aside.
• Add the remaining ingredients to a 10-quart stock pot; simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Add in the vegetable mixture; simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.
• Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Immediately ladle relish into hot sterilized jars; leave 1/4 inch headspace.
• Cover with lids and make sure bands are screwed on tightly.
• Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
• Let cool.

CRISP, FRESH VEGETABLE RELISH

Steps:

• Cook the green beans in lightly salted water, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool as quickly as possible under the cold water tap. When thoroughly cooled, drain well and combine with petit peas, black beans, corn, green and red bell peppers,celery, onion and parsley in a large mixing bowl. In a saucepan, combine dressing ingredients and heat over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the vegetable mixture, mix well, cover and chill at least 8 hours or overnight before using. If keeping longer than a day, transfer to a glass or other non-reactive jar and cap. Keeps well in the refrigerator for at least a week, with flavor getting deeper by the day.

COPONATA (EGGPLANT RELISH)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, wide frying pan over medium high heat. Add celery and cook until tender, stirring often. Remove celery with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Place eggplant in the pan, reduce heat to medium and cook until eggplant is lightly browned and tender, stirring often. Add onion and continue cooking and stirring until onion is soft, but not browned. Use the slotted spoon to remove the eggplant and onion and add to reserved celery.
• Place vinegar, sugar, tomatoes and water in the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring for 5 minutes. Return the other cooked vegetables to the pan. Stir in capers, olives, raisins and parsley; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes more. Taste and add oregano, salt and pepper as you like it. Remove from heat and cool. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Serve at room temperature, spread on crackers, spooned onto crisp lettuce leaves or use as a side dish with just about anything. makes 6-8 servings.

FRESH VEGETABLE QUESADILLAS WITH CORN RELISH

Steps:

• Heat grill to low; lightly oil grates. Cut off tip of each cob. One at a time, stand each ear in a large wide bowl; with a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to release the kernels (you should have about 2 cups). Discard cobs.
• Add sliced scallions, lime juice, and oil to bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Set corn relish aside.
• Place tortillas on a work surface. Dividing evenly, sprinkle half the cheese on bottom half of each tortilla. Top with squash, bell pepper, scallion pieces, and remaining cheese; season with salt and pepper. Fold top half of tortillas over filling to close.
• Grill quesadillas, turning once, until browned in spots and cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes. Cut into wedges; serve immediately with corn relish.

TORTILLA SOUP WITH CRISP TORTILLAS AND AVOCADO RELISH

Steps:

• Make soup:
• Preheat broiler.
• Coarsely chop onion. In a well-seasoned 9-inch cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet arrange onion, tomatoes, and garlic in one layer and broil about 2 inches from heat, turning vegetables occasionally with tongs, until tomato skins are blistered and lightly charred, about 20 minutes. Cool vegetables.
• While vegetables are broiling, remove stems, seeds, and ribs from chilies (wear rubber gloves). Heat a dry griddle or heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and toast chilies, 1 or 2 at a time, pressing down with tongs, a few seconds on each side, or until more pliable. Transfer chilies as toasted to a bowl. Cover chilies with hot water and soak about 20 minutes, or until soft.
• Drain chilies, discarding soaking liquid, and in a blender purée with vegetable mixture until smooth.
• Cut 6 tortillas into quarters and cut remaining 4 tortillas into 1/4-inch-wide strips. In cleaned 9-inch skillet heat 1/2 inch oil until a deep-fat thermometer registers 375°F. and fry tortilla quarters in 3 batches, turning them, until crisp and pale golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. With a slotted spoon transfer quarters as fried to paper towels to drain.
• Fry tortilla strips in 2 batches in same manner, transferring with tongs to paper towels to drain and keeping them separate from fried tortilla quarters. In a plastic bag with a rolling pin finely crush tortilla quarters.
• In a 5-quart heavy kettle bring stock and chili pur e to a boil, stirring. Stir in crushed tortillas, oregano, and salt and simmer, uncovered, whisking occasionally, until tortillas are soft and soup is slightly thickened, 30 to 45 minutes. If necessary, season soup with salt and pepper.
• Make relish while soup is simmering:
• Quarter avocados, removing pits, and peel. Cut avocados into 1/4-inch dice and finely chop tomato. Wearing rubber gloves, finely chop chilies, including seeds if desired. In a bowl gently stir together avocados, tomato, onion, chilies, and remaining relish ingredients until combined well.
• Divide relish, fried tortilla strips, and coriander among 8 soup plates and ladle soup over mixture. Garnish soup with lime wedges.