Saturday, September 3, 2011

A True Classic: Deep South Chow-chow Relish

By Kathy Smith


This chow chow meal is truly a favorite on pinto beans for many of us Southerners. It is also wonderful on your hot dogs, cheeseburgers, sausages, pork and not to mention black-eyed peas. Chow chow is regarded as a mildly hot vegetables relish which has mustard mixed into it.

Chow chow is commonly composed of diced green tomatoes, cabbage, mustard seed, onions, hot peppers, sweet peppers, and vinegar. Other optional ingredients include cucumbers, celery, carrots, beans, corn and cauliflower. Still, it isn't really a "strict" method and practically any excess fresh vegetables can be utilized such as cucumbers, radishes, and red tomatoes.

The term "relish" emanates from the term "reles" which means "something remaining" in Old French, which absolutely complements this recipe. No matter where chow chow came from, at least one point is undoubtedly for sure: it really has been savored in the Southern U.S. for well over two hundred years.

This chow chow recipe tends to make six pints.

Ingredients:

nine pounds of green tomatoes
half-dozen lbs of yellow or white onions, peeled and finely diced
1 cup of salt
six cups of water
four cups of white vinegar
4 tbsps of pickling spices
two 1/2 lbs. white sugar
two 1/2 lbs light brown sugar
1/2 cup of corn starch
two teaspoons of dry mustard
1 tsp of turmeric
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
four cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced

Instructions:

Put all the green tomatoes along with onions inside of a pretty big bowl and add four cups of the water along with all of the salt. Allow the mixture to sit over evening (or at a minimum 8 hours, though 12 hours is preferable), covered up inside of the fridge.

Drain properly with a colander and afterwards put the tomatoes and onions in your generous pot with white wine vinegar, 2 cups of water and pickling spice.

Bring to a boil on top of high heat and next minimize high temperature to low and simmer for thirty minutes. Incorporate the white and brown sugar and let to simmer for another half-hour.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, mustard and tumeric and - bit by bit - add it to the simmering pan, so that it is slowly and completely integrated. Add the diced red bell pepper and garlic cloves and simmer for the next 1 1/2 to 2 hrs or just up until thick. Put your chow chow in Tupperware and store in fridge or freezer up to half-dozen months.




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