Sweet Pickle Relish

I found this incredible recipe over at Heritage Recipes when I was in a pickle this summer--I mean it, I was knee deep in cucumbers. After dozens of chilled soups and Greek salads, the idea of eating yet another cucumber eventually turned my stomach, so I decided I'd put my newly-found canning skills to work and make... something with cucumbers.

I love a good dill pickle, but no one who shares my blood type within a thousand mile radius does, and letting canned goods go to waste is just as bad as letting cukes go to compost. So that was out. A good friend of mine had recently made delicious bread and butter pickles and would probably share the recipe (admittedly, I gave him heaps of crap for adding 4 cups of sugar to a pickle recipe, but he made me eat my words when I tried his creation). As appetizing as that sounded, I still couldn't imagine sitting on 6 quarts of pickles all by myself. But what pickle will non-pickle-eaters eat? Relish. Relish had so many more applications anyway, so I settled on a sweet variety. This particular recipe is so good you practically want to eat it with a spoon! Already it's been a hit at barbecues and I can't wait to mix it into a creamy potato salad.

To be true to the wonderful woman who posted the recipe, I've posted the original recipe. I will admit that I used about half the sugar and a few more red peppers with great success!

Sweet Relish

6 lbs cucumbers (don't peal!)
4 cups onions
2 green peppers
1 red pepper

Grind and mix together with...
1/2 c canning salt
2 qts Boiling water.
Let stand for 1 hour.
Drain well, then add the following,
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. turmeric
1 pint vinegar
5 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. corn starch
Boil 1/2 hour and seal hot in pint jars.
Makes around 6 pints.