I asked for it.
In my last Can Jam post for tigress I added a post script, throwing it out there to the canning gods that I would (pretty please with sugar on it) really like for the next jam to include cucumbers. And lo, the canning gods (or at least the goddess over at Laundry Etc…) heard my appeal and were generous.
You know what other things in my life were generous – my cucumber vines. They were so crazy that I had a hard time keeping up with their production. Did you know that if you leave a cucumber on the vine long enough it will get gigantic and eventually turn orange? Well, I do now.
Luckily the chickens like overgrown cucumbers – the seedier the better.
To deal with the deluge of cucumbers my mother came over last week and we had our own little pickle jam. It took most of the day but we put up a double batch of Bread & Butter pickles (totaling 12 pints) and a little experiment for me. I only got 6 jars of the B&B’s but all of the experiment, because mom just doesn’t roll that way.
If you want to make the B&B’s check out this previous can jam post on onions. Instead of 16 cups of onions, go with 15 cups of sliced cucumbers and 1 cup of sliced onions. Volia – two for one recipe.
But on to the experiment (I don’t have a picture yet – but tigress asked us to get things up early(er)than we usually do – photo to come done). From my trusty tome on canning The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving I busted out with something I have had bookmarked for quite some time. Actually, I should probably just do away with the bookmarks in this book and just start marking the recipes that I don’t want to do – it would make life easier.
When you grow your own - they aren't as photogenic.
Indian Style Cucumber Relish (with slight modifications)
The Hardware: see the Canning Thing, slotted spoon, 6 half pint jars (or like I did – 5 half pints and 2 quarter pints).
The Software:
6 C Cucumber (diced, seeded & peeled)
2 C Onions, thinly sliced
1 T Salt, pickling
2 C White Vinegar
1/2 C Sugar
1 T Cumin Seeds
2 t each Brown & Yellow Mustard Seeds
Big pinch whole peppercorns
Put your chopped/sliced veggies in a big bowl and sprinkle with salt – allow to stand for 4 hours (the original recipe said stirring occasionally, I totally forgot this step because I was canning the B&B’s). Drain, rinse and drain some more. Combine everything else in large, non-reactive, saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add veggies and return to a boil – hold at boil for 30 seconds.
Using a slotted spoon, pack veggie into jars and then ladle liquid over the relish to head-space of 1/2 inch. Boiling water bath for 10 minutes (half pints) 15 minutes (pints) adjust for altitude.
Conclusion:
The reason that I was so excited about this recipe is not exactly about it’s use as a relish – the book suggests it “peps up” meat dishes – but because of another suggestion the authors make. They say you can mix this stuff with yogurt and poof! instant raita. Instant anything from a canned item makes me oh, so happy. And this has given me another idea – can I make a cucumber relish that has all of the flavors of tzatziki so that I can have that creamy deliciousness on demand? Anyone got a recipe close enough so we can tweak it?
July 21, 2010 at 11:30 am
Wow I will have to try this cucumber relish! It sounds very tasty.
Thanks for sharing,
Tes
July 30, 2010 at 4:08 am
Sounds fantastic and versatile! I’m going to make as soon as my cucumbers come in!
August 1, 2010 at 1:25 am
[...] Robbing Peter and Leena Eats both did a Indian-style Cucumber Relish. There spices varied a bit from each other but they both look and sound amazing! Mix in yogurt for a raita-ish like condiment. YUM! [...]
September 21, 2010 at 10:18 am
Inspired by you, this weekend I came up with a recipe for a tzatziki relish that I would be happy to share with you. I haven’t tasted it yet, but I am optimistic about it. It sure smelled good!
September 21, 2010 at 3:20 pm
I would love to see the recipe – one less thing on my to do list!
September 30, 2010 at 11:19 am
Ok, so I haven’t tried it yet (I haven’t had any leftovers in my recent canning projects, strangely enough), but the recipe is below. Other than spices, what I altered in relation to yours is I did not peel the cucumber and I shredded it–easier that way. It looks pretty good. Based on the smell and the taste I did have, it’s very very garlicky. I think it would be a great complement to lamb or chickpeas, with or without the yogurt addition. I would also strain it before adding the yogurt.
Tzatziki relish
Yield: 8 1/2 cups
8 cups cucumber packed tight (seeded, partially peeled if necessary, shredded)
1 medium onion, shredded (235 grams)
1 cup garlic, minced (volume measured before minced)
1 T Salt
1 2/3 cup Lemon juice
1 cup white vinegar
1 T Mint (dried)
1 T Dill weed (dried)
1 T Ground Black pepper
½ cup sugar?*
1. Place cucumber, onion, garlic, and salt in a non-reactive bowl and let sit for at least 4 hours or up to overnight, stirring occasionally. Drain liquid from vegetables, saving the liquid for another project.** Rinse the vegetables.
2. Place sugar if using, spices, and vinegar in a stainless steel or enamel pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add vegetables and return to a boil for 30 seconds.
3. Remove hot, sterilized jars and fill with vegetable and liquid, with ½ inch headspace at the top. Clean the top of the jar, place lid on and process in a hot water bath—10 minutes half pints and 4 oz jelly jars, 15 minutes for pint jars.
*Arg, I can’t remember if I actually used sugar, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t. Now that I’ve made another relish, I think I should have. The sugar thickens up the sauce and makes it almost more of a syrup. I didn’t add the sugar because I thought it would take away from the tzatziki flavors. I think some pickled things need a little sugar. All that to say that next time, add some sugar. Maybe not the full ½ cup—taste to see.
**Save the juice—it’s very garlicky, with some cuke, onion, and salt—and use it for the water portion of pickling projects to which you want to impart those flavors. Most pickling projects will call for a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water, so just add an equal part vinegar to the liquid, and any additional spices if desired. I used my juice to pickle peppers.
November 21, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Update: I tried it. Meh. I can’t quite figure out why it’s not that good. I think there might be too much garlic (is that possible?) and I don’t like the dill in it. I still like the idea…more work to do!
August 31, 2011 at 5:41 am
Tzatziki sauce recipe…
Can Jam: Cukes « Robbing Peter…