Informative & inspirational events, talks, courses & workshops

Make some Piccalilli this autumn!

Posted:17 October 2013

Here at the Garden House we have been busy making Piccalilli, a British interpretation of Indian pickles that harks back to the mid 18thcentury.  It is essentially a mix of vegetables and spicy seasonings, particularly mustard and turmeric which give its distinct yellow colouring, and is delicious with bread and cheese.

 There are many many versions, but we particularly love this recipe from Pam the Jam  Pam Corbin, who with fellow preserver Liz Neville, now runs the Preserves course at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s  River Cottage.

Ideal for using up all our green tomatoes that haven’t ripened and, having no yellow mustard seeds, we used black ones which added a little visual ‘extra’. Those of you coming on our courses and workshops may have a chance to sample some!

This great illustration shows the Piccalilli label as used by Crosse & Blackwell around 1867.

 

 

 

 

Recipe:

Cut the veg into small, even, bite-sized pieces. Place in a large colander over a bowl, and sprinkle with the salt. Mix well, cover with a tea towel and leave in a cool place for 24 hours, then rinse the veg with ice-cold water and drain thoroughly.

Blend the cornflour, turmeric, mustard powder, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin and coriander to a smooth paste with a little of the vinegar. Put the rest of the vinegar into a saucepan with the sugar and honey and bring to the boil. Pour a little of the hot vinegar over the blended spice paste, stir well and return to the pan. Bring gently to the boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes to allow the spices to release their flavours into the thickening sauce.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully fold the well-drained vegetables into the hot, spicy sauce. Pack the pickle into warm, sterilised jars and seal immediately with vinegar-proof lids. Leave for about 6 weeks before opening. Use within a year.

Main photo courtesy of Humble Crumble where Gareth has posted another excellent Piccallili recipe.

 

 

Share this:

Join our Mailing List