Piccalilli
Piccalilli is the yellow British relish, a mustard-and-turmeric pickle of chopped vegetables that lives in the fridge door and turns a plate of beans and greens into a meal. The Victorian original is built on sugar and a great deal of salt. This version keeps the bracing mustard bite and the electric turmeric color but sweetens with blended dates and leans on vinegar and spice instead of salt. The technique that matters is restraint at the stove: the vegetables go in for minutes only, so they stay crisp under the glossy sauce rather than turning to mush. Like all good pickles it rewards patience, so make it several days before you want it and let the jar do the work.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1 whole Cucumber, seeded and diced
- 4 oz Green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 whole Yellow onions, small dice
- 1 tbsp Yellow mustard seed
- 1 tsp Coriander seed, ground
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 3 wholes Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
Method
- Blend the dates with a splash of the vinegar into a smooth paste and set aside. This is the sweetener the sauce is built on: traditional piccalilli uses a heavy hand of sugar, and blended dates give the same jammy sweetness with the fiber left in.
- Toast the mustard seeds in a dry saucepan over medium heat until they start to pop, about a minute, then add the ground coriander, turmeric, and ginger and stir for a few seconds. Toasting the whole seed and blooming the powders dry deepens them and takes the raw edge off the turmeric.
- Pour in the vinegar, date paste, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) water and bring to a simmer. Add the cauliflower, green beans, and onion and cook just 4 to 5 minutes, then stir in the cucumber. Keep the vegetables barely cooked and crisp, because a piccalilli should crunch, not slump.
- Slurry the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it in with the Dijon and black pepper. Simmer one more minute until the sauce turns glossy and coats the vegetables. Cornstarch gives that clinging, translucent gloss with no flour-and-fat roux.
- Cool completely and pack into a clean jar. Piccalilli is a keeper, not a fresh salad: refrigerate it at least three days and up to three weeks, and the flavor rounds out and sharpens the longer it sits.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 45 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fiber, 60 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
