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20180511

Great Aunt Elva's Zucchini Relish

Zucchini is something that gardeners often get in abundance.  We'll get so much that we don't know what to do with it all.  Your partner will get sick of zucchini bread.  Neighbors will start saying no to spare zucchini.  It gets ridiculous.  I was whining about this problem a few years back and my mom shared my Great Aunt Elva's recipe for zucchini relish.  It's a bit of work, but it's a great way of using up the extra zucchini in a way that you can use during the winter, gift more easily, and just enjoy in a different way!  Thanks, Mom!

Great Aunt Elva's Zucchini Relish

10 cups ground (in a food grinder) zucchini squash (usually 4 large zucchinis, peeled, sliced in half, seeds removed--then put though food grinder, raw)
4 cups ground onions (about 6 onions)--peel and wash good and put through food grinder
4 cups green bell peppers (6, clean out seeds and cut in half)
1 red bell pepper (cleaned out seeds and cut in half)

Grind all of the above and put in 6 Tablespoons canning salt.

Mix all of the together and set overnight in refrigerator (cover with dish towel).

In the morning, the water will have come out of the veggies.  Rinse well through a wire collander and push out all the liquid.   Then rinse well again and push out all the water/fluid (Aunt Elva says this is really important or else the relish comes out too liquidy).

In a large bowl combine:

1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tablespoons cornstarcdh
1 tsp black ground pepper
1 tsp celery seed
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 1/2 cups sugar

Mix the above first, then add the zucchini mixture to it.  Put in a large pan, stir well.  Add a pinch of salt.  Boil for 20 minutes, stirring constantly.

In the meantime have your jars ready and sterilized.  I won't reiterate all the normal canning precautions, but follow them.  Put the relish into the jars and wipe around the edges to make sure they are totally clean for a good seal.  Don't touch the lids and process in boiling water for 10 minutes.  Anyway, that is basically the recipe. Follow the regular canning stuff from there and enjoy!

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