Sweet-and-Hot Garden Mix Pickles
 

Sweet-and-Hot Garden Mix Pickles

I made these yesterday using cauliflower and thin slices of red onion instead of the vegetables listed below. They were delicious. I plan to try them with pickling cucumbers soon. The Splenda works wonderfully! Do not use carrots on Phase 1

Ingredients:


4 cups (1 pound) peeled and coarsely cut ( ½ -inch chunks) cucumbers
2 cups ( ½ pound) trimmed and sliced ( ½ -inch-thick wheels) yellow summer squash
2 cups ( ½ pound) scraped and sliced ( ½ -inch-thick wheels) carrots
1 cup sliced ( ¼ -inch-thick) white onions
1 cup seeded, sliced ( ¼ -inch-wide strips) red bell pepper
½ cup (3 peppers) stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced jalapeños (less if you can't take the heat)
2 cups cider vinegar
2½ cups sugar (I used 2 1/2 cups of Splenda granulated)
2 tablespoons pickling salt


Directions:

Have ready 4 quart or 8 pint jars and lids (dishwasher-clean and dried). Pack the vegetables in even layers of each into the jars.

Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the vegetables. Let cool, cap and store in the refrigerator. Ready to eat the next day. Keeps 4 to 5 months refrigerated. Makes 4 quarts or 8 pints.

This colorful mélange is as much a relish as it is a pickle. Substitute your own favorite vegetables or try the ideas below.

Try these combinations using the Garden Mix Pickles recipe – or create your own:

• Okra with 2 to 3 seeded chiles, whole or in strips, and garlic cloves

• Baby corn with mustard seed and coriander

• Pickled cabbage with caraway and garlic, hint of nutmeg

• Beets with cloves (1 per beet), cinnamon sticks (broken into pieces), allspice berries, hint of nutmeg

• Beets with baby onions, caraway, mustard seed

• Green beans with garlic, lemon rind and cumin

• Asparagus with mace or nutmeg pieces

• Baby vegetable medleys with garlic and basil

• Zucchini with turmeric

• Cornichons with a sprig of tarragon

• Hot or mild chile peppers with cilantro, cumin and garlic

• Cauliflower with caraway, bay and garlic

• Tomatillos with cumin, garlic and chiles, hot or mild

• Green tomatoes with seeded hot pepper strips or rings, cumin seed

• Cabbage with red onion, garlic, caraway

• Cabbage with onion and a splash of pineapple or orange juice

• Green tomatoes with curry powder (1 to 2 teaspoons), cinnamon, allspice, dry mustard

• Traditional dills with garlic and baby onions, red pepper flakes or sliced banana peppers

• Cooked black-eyed peas with red onion and black peppercorns

• Onions with mint leaves

• Carrots with oregano, yellow pepper strips and garlic

• Green beans and okra with dill and red sweet pepper rings or strips


SOURCE: Adapted from The Gardeners' Community Cookbook

Barb, this looks great! I will do a batch next week.