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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Piccalilli ~ English-style Pickles (Cauliflower, Onions and Gherkins) in Mustard
A classic British pickle combination with mustard sauce.
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)
Instructions
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.
Notes
Special equipment: jars (you can buy them or just use old jam or pickle jars as I did)
LA Living…
A very wet park entrance.
Thank you for this recipe, I can’t wait to make it. Here are 2 probably silly questions: what size jars? And if I were to process in a water bath canner, how long to process? I guess I have 3 questions, how long does it last after canning?
Thanks again!
Hi Gabrielle, I would have at least 3 jars ranging from 8-14 ounce size. It really depends on how small your pieces are cut and how tightly you pack the jars. I didn’t process them, but 10 minutes in a boiling water bath would be fine. The piccalilli will last as long as any pickles, but I wouldn’t keep them longer than one year. My jars are gone within weeks! :)
[…] Piccalilli (English Style Cauliflower, Onions and Gherkins) […]
Hi there,
I have a silly question. I love making all things pickled but have never used cornstarch in them. I’m looking at making this (looks divine!) and was wondering if you could tell me the purpose of the cornstarch? Thank you so much! 😊💕
Hi Jennifer, I don’t know if you’ve ever had piccalilli before, but it’s sort of like a chutney. The cornstarch makes a lovely “sauce” that coats the pickles! It’s so good! :) Let me know if you try it, and not a silly question at all, btw! CC
Thanks for your reply! I haven’t had it, but I saw an article talking about it and thought it sounded delicious! That makes sense about the cornstarch. How would you say this differs in flavor to regular pickled veggies?
You can definitely tell a piccalilli from regular pickles. I love pickles so I love piccalilli. Great with a ploughman’s lunch or in a sandwich, too!
[…] Piccalilli (English Style Cauliflower, Onions and Gherkins) […]
[…] Piccalilli (English Style Cauliflower, Onions and Gherkins) […]
WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE A PRINTER VERESION OF THE RECIPE ? I NEED TO BE ABLE TO ROUND UP THE INGREDIENTS BEFORE MAKING THEM. I DO NOT HAVE MY COMPUTER IN THE KITCHEN OR OUTDOORS WHERE I DO MY CANNING ,SO I NEED A RECIPE THAT I CAN LOOK AT TO MAKE SURE I DON,T MISS A STEP.
PLEASE DON’T YELL AT ME! There is now a printable recipe, however, you could have used pencil and paper to write down the few ingredients and steps needed in this recipe. I am giving FREE recipes here and don’t think I deserve to be berated in this manner.
Hear Hear Christina, well said. Many Many thanks for all you’re wonderful recipes and all the time you put towards this site it is very much appreciated by all the rest of your followers.
THANK YOU, Pauline! That means a lot to me! 💜
The ingredients look similar to Chow Chow Relish I used to get in New Zealand. I don’t live there now, so I’ve been slowly going through the single jar of it that my parents brought me over, so now I have a better idea of how much to add thanks to your recipe. Thanks! I’ll give it a go. Now, the one question I do have is you said you didn’t make it as sweet as the one you found in another recipe book. How much sugar went into that one? The reason I ask is I think the relish I do have is kinda sweet, but it’s a really nice blend of sweet and tart.
Oh goodness, Raewyn! I honestly don’t remember which other recipe I was referring to, since I didn’t end up using it. Here’s an idea: write down what you use the first time you make it (make a small batch) and then make adjustments from there. I have never heard of Chow Chow relish, but I hope you manage to get the flavor you’re looking for!! Good luck!
You mentioned a recipe book in your original post. “adapted from Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Cookery & Household Management’. I will definitely give the recipe you wrote down a go one of these days and will let you know. I’ve almost scraped my existing jar clean!
Oh I misunderstood as you said, “another recipe book”. I included the extra sugar in the recipe when I said to add up to 4 more ounces of sugar. Hope that helps!
[…] Piccallili by Christina's Cucina Pickle lovers will jump for joy! […]
I come from some PA German stock and we love pickled things! Mostly pickles, but I do love a giardiniera and three bean salad too. I’ve never heard of this mustard based Piccalilli. It looks good! I think it would be good on a hot dog or burger too. :)
Oh, I LOVE it on hot dogs, and I’m sure it would be good on hamburgers too, but I don’t like them. I love that it’s not sweet, just very vinegary! Give it a try, it’s so easy, Mindy!
Hiya.
I see that you took a recipe and removed cabbage and tomatoes.
So, I see that it is open for change.
What do you think about removing the cauliflower as well, and subbing in corn?
I’m on the hunt for a corn relish recipe that is a little ‘more’ than the average corn relish.
Thanks!
Sorry, I forgot to add that I’d like to put in some hot peppers as well.
(I’m nervous about simply making up my own recipe *chuckle*)
Just put a little of the hot peppers the first time, Maija. Every time you make something, write down exactly what you did so that you can make changes the next time, if needed (this is my biggest mistake)! Good luck!
I would give it a try, Maija! Why not? Let me know how it turns out!
Thanks so much for getting back to me!
Would you say the texture/viscosity/thickness is good to use as a corn relish on hot dogs?
Goofy question?
I have actually put piccalilli on hot dogs, so YES! ;)
I am lucky enough to have a store called Pirate O’s near me in Utah, and guess what, it stocks Hayward’s Piccalilli! My husband (a Utahn!) has never tried it, so we are going to pick up a jar this weekend, and if he likes it (who wouldn’t) I will DEF try your recipe! My Dad loved the stuff, and we were never without a jar. Husband asked what you would eat it with, so from memory (haven’t had it in years and years) I said, cold beef, sausages, cheese – any other ideas? Thanks again for your terrific posts.
A Ploughman’s lunch is one of my favorites, but any time you eat pickles, really! Goes great as part of an appetizer plate with cheese, crackers, etc. Let me know what your husband thinks of it!
Haywards is the most popular commercial brand here in Britain, but we’re lucky where I am as we have farmers markets where there are great selections of homemade piccalilli to choose from
Yes, I know Haywards, but I didn’t like the “extra” ingredients when I bought it last time without checking. You are very lucky!!
Wow, I’ve never heard of this! I love pickled stuff!
It’s a MUST try for you, Adair!
Dear Christina,
This is such a wonderful recipe. I have never heard of this before, but must be very good. Love pickles and for that matter anything pickled is an added flavor to your recipes. I love cauliflower and onions pickled, it reminds me of the Italian jar of Giardiniera. Thank you for sharing this interesting dish. Blessing..Dottie :)
It’s like an English version of giardiniera, Dottie! The mustard sauce is a little thick, and although different than the Italian version, it is also very delicious! Thanks so much for stopping by!
I’ve never eaten picalilli, they sounds really delicious. I always love a good pickle or pickled vegetable with my meal.
If you like pickles, you’d definitely love Piccalilli!
I grew up eating piccalilli – it was always a part of the relish tray for every single holiday. Glad to have a recipe, as I cannot find it here in the U.S. Southwest. It was easily found in New England. ~ David
Is it made the same way in New England, with mustard? I like Hayward’s Piccalilli, but just realized it has some ingredients I do not want to ingest, so I decided to make my own…always the best idea! :) CC