Piccalilli ~ English-style Pickles (Cauliflower, Onions and Gherkins) in Mustard

Name: Piccalilli ~ English-style Pickles (Cauliflower, Onions and Gherkins) in Mustard
Yield: 3
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 small, firm cauliflower, broken into florets; 6 gherkins, or 3 Persian cucumbers, which I used because I couldn't find gherkins; 1 1/2 cups (10 oz) small, white pearl onions (or 1 large onion, chopped); 3 tbsp (1 oz) Kosher salt; 1 1/2 cups (12 oz) vinegar (I used half apple-cider and half 10% spirit vinegar); 1/2 cup (4 oz) sugar (use up to 1/2 cup or 4 oz more for sweeter pickles); 2 tsp mustard powder; 1 tsp turmeric; 2 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour in UK)

March 1st, 2014 | 45 Comments

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Piccalilli is a British, mustard flavored, mixed pickle creation. It goes well with a Ploughman’s platter, in and with sandwiches and anytime you’d have pickles.

This recipe, although very British, is an adaptation of an Indian pickle.

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If you love pickled vegetables, this is for you; although I didn’t make it as sweet as the original recipe. I adapted an old Mrs. Beeton recipe, but omitted the cabbage and green tomatoes, to make it more like the Hayward’s brand piccalilli I have bought in the past.

Here’s a great example of how to use piccalilli!

This is great served alongside a sandwich, or as part of a traditional Ploughman’s lunch, which consists of cheese, bread and pickles or chutney, and happens to be a delicious, light lunch.

Piccalilli

adapted from Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Cookery & Household Management

Ingredients

1 small, firm cauliflower, broken into florets
6 gherkins, or 3 Persian cucumbers, which I used because I couldn’t find gherkins
1 1/2 cups (10 oz) small, white pearl onions (or 1 large onion, chopped)
3 tbsp (1 oz) Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) vinegar (I used half apple-cider and half 10% spirit vinegar)
1/2 cup (4 oz) sugar (use up to 1/2 cup or 4 oz more for sweeter pickles)
2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour in UK)

Special equipment: jars (you can buy them or just use old jam or pickle jars as I did)

Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and sprinkle with the Kosher salt and leave for 24 hours.

THE NEXT DAY

Rinse thoroughly in a colander, then drain well. (I tasted the cucumber and it was very salty, so I soaked the veg for about half an hour). I would recommend you do the same to avoid super salty pickles.

Combine the sugar, mustard, turmeric and cornstarch in a large bowl, and mix to a paste with some of the vinegar.

Put the remaining vinegar in a pot and bring to a boil.

Pour some vinegar into the paste, and return the the liquid back into the pot and boil for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the drained vegetables.

Mix well.

Pack into clean jars and seal at once. (You can process the jars if you like.)

Keep refrigerated if you do not process them.

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