Summer Squash Pickles

I love gardening, although my focus is generally on what is edible.  Flowers inspire me, but if it comes down to a space choice of flower or vegetable, veggie wins every time.  I continue to learn about new things to grow that I would never have considered edible, but I still fall back on certain staples every year.  And that means I always run out of season before I run out of tomatoes of course, and last year rather than too much zucchini, I ended up with too much summer squash.

Always on the search for canning recipes for these - I found two that were really successful and want to share them.  The first is Summer Squash Pickles, and the second is a variation on Green Tomato Relish AKA (Chow Chow).  Apparently, it depends on what region of the country you come from as to which name you use, but more on that later.  For now I'll share the squash recipe.

I found this recipe on a website called The Old Farmer's Almanac:

Yield 6 pints

Ingredients
10 c thinly sliced summer squash (any combination will do)
2 c thinly sliced onions (I used white & red, but again, any/or a combination will do)
2 c thinly sliced green pepper (I actually used green & banana)
1 large jar of diced pimento (optional)
2/3 c salt

Soak squash, onions, peppers in 2 quarts water for 2 hours.  Drain.  (I added ice cubes to mine)

Syrup
3c sugar
2 c apple cider vinegar
2 t celery seed
2 t mustard seed

Combine syrup ingredients and bring to a boil.  Drop drained vegetables and pimento into the syrup but don't cook.  Mix well.  Put in hot sterilized jars and cover with syrup.  Process in water bath for 15 minutes.

This is a wonderful pickle - crispy and lightly sweet with a spicy flavor.  The options of mixing the types of squash, onions, and peppers make it a great opportunity for cleaning up the garden and changing up the recipe!

Green Tomato Relish AKA Chow Chow

Last year was an exceptionally strange on for tomatoes.  There was lots and lots of fruit, and it all grew beautifully - it just wouldn't ripen.  The year before that I had been temporarily without a garden, and told a fellow gardener I would be willing to take his green tomatoes.  He remembered that, so at the end of the season last year I had two gardens' worth of green tomatoes.  I have some old stand-bys I use - I love green tomato mincemeat (See Sunday, November 16, 2008).  But I decided to try some new ones also.  A non-canning friend asked me to make Chow Chow, so I looked for recipes.  Apparently the term is more generic, from the South & Appalachia, and is another great way to use up extra veggies left over from a productive season.  I live in Missouri and the range of ethic influences on food and food prep - as well as their names - is really fun!  Amish, French, any variety of southern and soul food, German, and "just plain home Midwestern home cooking".

Here is the recipe I finally settled on (which was a GREAT hit with my friend!).  I don't know where I found it, the link did not carry thru when I printed it off the internet:

Yields 5 1/2 pints

Ingredients
12 - large green tomatoes, cored (about 20 small to medium size)
4 - green bell peppers, seeded
4 - medium or 1 extra large yellow onion (I used red and yellow)
1 - red bell pepper, seeded
1 -T + 2 t yellow mustard seed
1 - T celery seed
2 - c cider vinegar
2 - c granulated sugar
1 - T + 2 t kosher salt

Directions
Chop the tomatoes and peppers very finely.  I diced up all my veggies, I think this relish works better that way.  I had the time, you might not. So you could do small batches in a food processor.

Add the chopped vegetables in a large pot ( heavy bottom non reactive post), then add rest of the ingredients.  Stir well and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.  Cook stirring often and skimming as needed.  ( I did not have anything to skim.)

Simmer until the relish/chow chow cooks down and thickens into a relish, about 2 hours.  Turn into hot sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath.  The recipe didn't specify how long, I did 15 minutes.

As you can see, I made several batches :-)

Green Tomato Mincemeat

9 cups finely chopped green tomatoes (leave the skins on)
4 cups peeled, chopped tart apples (used 4 Granny Smith)
3 cups raisins
½ cup diced candied citron, lemon or orange peel
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoons salt
1 ½ cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 Tablespoons Lyle's Black Treacle
¾ cup unfiltered apple vinegar
¼ cup lemon juice


Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a large heavy pan. Cook mixture slowly until it is tender and thick, about 1 hour or more. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

To can, pour boiling mixture into hot, sterile jars, leaving ½-inch headspace; seal promptly. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Store in a cool dry place.

To freeze, pack cold mincemeat into freezer jars or containers, leaving about an inch headspace for expansion. Seal or freeze promptly.

Makes about 6 pints of green tomato mincemeat.