Chives’ Mustard Pickles

I love homemade preserves and grew up with my Mom making her own jams, jellies and assortment of pickles. The idea of preserving the flavor of fresh produce from our garden and the taste kept my Mom very busy between August and September. For some, it’s a hobby as well as a sense of accomplishment. There’s also something very special about giving a gift that is homemade. The Mason jar was invented in 1858 by John L. Mason. Prior to 1858 canning jars were a glass jar, a tin flat lid, and sealing wax, which was not reusable and messy.  For more information on home canning, click here.  Culinary Arts College also features the ‘Top 50 Websites for Learning Self-Canning’.

Makes 7 to 8 litres (or 15 x 500ml Mason Jars)
recipe adapted from Fresh and Local
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10 cups ( 2 1/2 L) diced and seeded English cucumbers (see note)
3/4 cup (180ml) rock salt
5 cups (1.25L) boiling water
5 cups (1.25L) diced onions
1 cup (250ml) minced red bell pepper
1 cup (250ml) minced green bell pepper
4 stalks celery, minced
3 tablespoons (45ml) whole yellow mustard seeds
4 tablespoons (60ml) dry mustard
4 tablespoons (60ml) turmeric
1 tablespoon (15ml) crushed fenugreek
1 tablespoon (15ml) cumin
2 tablespoons (30ml) ground black pepper
6 cups (1.5L) white vinegar
8 cups (2L) white sugar
1 cup (250ml) cornstarch

Note: To properly prepare cucumbers, slice lengthways and, using a spoon, remove pulpy seeds from the center. Do not peel. Dice into pieces about 1/2 inch (1cm) square.

Add salt to water and bring to a boil. In a large container, pour salted water over cucumbers, onions, peppers and celery and let stand for 2 hours. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, combine spices with vinegar and sugar. When thoroughly mixed removed 2 cups (500ml) and set aside. Add vegetables to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for a minimum of 15 minutes to remove as much excess water from the vegetables as possible. Make a slurry of of cornstarch and reserved vinegar/sugar mixture. Increase heat again to high and resume the boil. Add cornstarch slurry and stir continuously until pickles and sauce thickens. Simmer for 3 minutes, and proceed to jarring in sanitized containers. It is always best to follow the manufacturer’s directions for sterilizing Mason jars and lids.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Craig Flinn, author and chef, said ‘this recipe was developed after tasting dozens of types of mustard pickles from village markets all over Nova Scotia. The result is a spoonable chutney-style pickle rather than the large chunky variety’. The only thing I would alter next time I make this is to add cauliflower but other than that, this recipe is a definite repeater. Mustard pickles can be used as a side for roast beef, ham or chicken dinners, a condiment for burgers, and as a spread on a meat sandwich.