Piccalilli

This spicy piccalilli recipe is wonderful served as a relish with Cheddar or a pork pie.

Piccalilli

  • Serves icon Makes about 6 jars
  • Time icon Takes 15 minutes to make, 40 minutes to cook, plus overnight soaking

This spicy piccalilli recipe is wonderful served as a relish with Cheddar or a pork pie.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
9kcals
Fat
0.1g (no saturated)
Protein
0.2g
Carbohydrates
1.7g (1.2g sugar)
Salt
0.1g

For a 1 tbsp serving

Ingredients

  • 225g salt
  • ½ cucumber
  • 500g cauliflower, broken into small florets
  • 200g carrots, cut into 5mm slices
  • 150g fine green beans, topped and tailed, cut into 2.5cm lengths
  • 225g banana shallots or big shallots, halved and cut into 3mm slices
  • 900ml distilled malt vinegar, plus 4 tbsp extra
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 50g coarsely grated fresh ginger
  • 4 tbsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp English mustard powder
  • 2 tbsp ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
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Method

  1. In a large jug, stir the salt into 2.5 litres cold water until it has dissolved. Pour into 2 large mixing bowls and set aside.
  2. Halve the cucumber lengthways, scoop out the seeds, halve lengthways again, then cut into 5mm slices. Put the cauliflower, carrot and green beans into one bowl of salted water and the shallot and cucumber into the other. Put plates on top to keep the vegetables submerged and leave for 24 hours.
  3. The following day, drain the vegetables and rinse well, keeping them separate as before.
  4. Put the vinegar, caster sugar, garlic clove and ginger into a large stainless-steel pan or preserving pan and bring to the boil. Add the cauliflower, carrot and green beans and cook for 6 minutes. Quickly remove with a slotted spoon to a large mixing bowl and bring the vinegar mixture back to the boil. Add the shallots and cucumber and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the other vegetables in the bowl. All the vegetables should be just-cooked, with some crunch left in them.
  5. Mix the cornflour, English mustard powder, ground turmeric, ground ginger and chilli flakes into a smooth paste with the 4 tbsp vinegar. Add a little of the hot vinegar mixture to the paste to loosen it, then stir it all back into the hot vinegar pan and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer for 2 minutes until smooth and thick. Stir the sauce and the red chilli into the vegetables, then spoon into warm, sterilised jars, cover with waxed discs and seal with vinegar-proof lids. Leave to cool, then store in a cool dark place. The pickle is ready to eat immediately.

Nutrition

For a 1 tbsp serving

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
9kcals
Fat
0.1g (no saturated)
Protein
0.2g
Carbohydrates
1.7g (1.2g sugar)
Salt
0.1g

delicious. tips

  1. This spicy piccalilli recipe will keep in a cool, dark place for up to a year and makes a great homemade gift.

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Reviews

Read what others say...

  1. Really easy to make – smelled divine whilst cooking. Chilli gives it a little kick but this piccalilli doesn’t have the harsh mustard taste of shop bought. Good to eat straight away but definitely think flavours will develop over time.

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