Makes 3 half pints

3 cups diced, peeled cucumber (4-6 medium pickling cucumbers)

1 cup finely diced onion

1 ½ tsp kosher salt

1 cup white vinegar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp whole cumin seeds

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

1 tsp fenugreek leaves

Put cucumber and onion in a non-reactive bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Let sit for 4 hours or up to overnight, stirring occasionally.

Drain liquid from vegetables, rinse twice and drain completely.

Place sugar, 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.

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.

Adapted from the Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving. This time I am trying out using English cucumbers instead. Very colourful and tasty on hamburgers and hot dogs or just as an addition on your plate.

YIELDS 7 pint size jars

INGREDIENTS 

· 7 cups cucumbers
· 4 cups green peppers
· 4 cups red peppers
· 4 cups celery, chopped
· 1 cup onion, chopped
· 1⁄2 cup pickling salt
· 2 1⁄4 cups white sugar
· 3 cups white vinegar
· 3 tablespoons mustard seeds
· 3 tablespoons celery seeds

DIRECTIONS

· Wash the vegetables; peel and chop cucumbers, seed the peppers and chop into small pieces. Put all vegetables into a large bowl put in the pickling salt. Mix and let stand covered for about 4 hours.

· Rinse vegetables well after 4 hours and press out the excess moisture.

· Combine the rest of the ingredients: sugar, vinegar, celery and mustard seed into a large pot; mix well and bring to a boil.

· Add vegetables, return to boil and boil gently for 10 minutes.

· Have your canning pot ready with 7 pint sterilized jars and lids.

· Ladle relish to within 1/2 inch of top , remove air bubbles, wipe top of jar to remove any liquid that may be there. Place lids that have been softened in boiling water on and screw band on. Make sure it's not too tight. Place jars in canner and process for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.

· You should hear that lovely pop, wipe jars, check to see that all jars have sealed, label and store in a cool dark place.