Sweet Pepper Relish!

I love a good relish or chow chow.  It is so good with beans and fresh vegetables or on a hot dog or good smoked sausage.  However, it's hard to find a really tasty recipe for sweet pepper relish.   

This is probably one of the best.  It's one of those really old recipes that has been around for a while and it came from the lady that ran our elementary cafeteria years ago.   My mother was fortunate enough to get several of her recipes.  She was a wonderful southern cook.  

I am sure this recipe was in her own family for years.  You will be surprised by how uncomplicated making something like this actually is, if you have a good recipe.  Here is what you will need:

4 cups ground onions

1 medium head of cabbage, ground (4 cups)

10 green tomatoes, ground  (4 cups)

12 green bell peppers, ground

6 red bell peppers, ground

1/2 cup salt

6 cups sugar

1 Tbs. celery seed

2 Tbs. turmeric

4 cups cider vinegar

2 cups water

Grind the vegetables using the coarse blade of the grinder.  This recipe was before the invention of the food processor, but you can use your food processor. 

 If you do use a food processor, be careful not to over process this.  It should be left coarse.  We are making relish, not juice and it's easy to over do it with those powerful food processors nowadays.  

Do I sound like I have experience with this...lol?   I have had a few batches of salsa that was more like spicy tomato juice, before I got used to a new food processor.

Sprinkle the vegetables with the 1/2 cup of salt.  Cover and let sit in the fridge over night. 

The next day, rinse and drain.  Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the vegetables in a large pan.  Place on the stove and heat to boiling.   Turn the heat down and simmer for about 3 minutes. 

Seal in hot, sterilized jars.  My mother always turns the jars, after filling and sealing, upside down on a kitchen towel to aid in the sealing process.  This makes 8 pints of relish. 

Isn't it pretty?  This would be great for an inexpensive, but thoughtful, Christmas gift.  Tie a little burlap or gingham bow around the jar and it would be darling!