Mustard Pickle

I've enjoyed mustard pickle my entire life, my mom used to buy it from the famous Cleveland West Side Market where her mom bought it too. I was thrilled to find this recipe in Ellie Topp's book The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round so I could recreate it for my family. We used to only enjoy it on holidays, but I usually make enough batches that we can now eat it whenever we'd like.

Mustard pickle is a mustard-y version of chow chow, here using a blend of cucumbers, pearl onions, and cauliflower in a sweet-tart mustard sauce. I love when our farmers' market has different colors of cauliflower, and even broccoflower, so I can get some different colors in the jars. Here I'm showing pictures of two different batches, one more classic yellow and green, another using purple cauliflower.

Mustard pickle is a nice complement to rich foods, a good palate cleanser, and makes a fine snack as well. I personally love it paired with a cheese plate and some crackers.

I found after the first few batches that I usually had enough pickling liquid to cover another batch of vegetables. Not wanting to waste what I call "liquid gold" I now double the vegetables and the brine, but keep the amount of pickling liquid the same. If you're new to canning you might want to follow the original instructions, then go with what you're comfortable with.

If you enjoy mustard, these pickles will perk you up, enjoy!

Makes about 5 pints

Recipe from: The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round by Ellie Topp

You'll need:

1 quart pickling cucumber (about 1.5 lbs/625 g)

4 cups cauliflower florets (1 small head)

1 cup peeled white pearl onion

1/2 cup pickling salt

6 cups water (lukewarm)

3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon celery seed

1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

3 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup water

Cut a thin slice from the ends of each cucumber and cut into thick slices. Place cucumbers, califlower and onions in a large non-reactive container. Combine salt with lukewarm water, stirring until dissolved. Pour over vegetables and let stand 24 hours. Make sure vegetables are covered, I usually make a double batch of this part of the recipe, and put the vegetables in a 12-quart stockpot weighing down the vegetables with a plate.

After 24 hours, drain the vegetables, and rinse them well. I drain in a colander (or two if double batch) rinse well, pour back into empty pot, pour clean water over that, then drain and rinse again to ensure they are well washed.

Combine sugar, flour, mustard, celery seeds and tumeric in a large saucepan, stir until well mixed. Whisk in vinegar and water. Bring to to a boil over high heat stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Add vegetables and return to a boil for 30 seconds.

Remove hot jars from canner.

Remove vegetables from liquid with a slotted spoon; pack into jars. Pour liquid over vegetables to leave a 1/2-inch headspace. Use a jar bubble tool to remove any air bubbles, then wipe the rims with a damp towel. Top with warm lids and place screw bands on fingertip tight.

Process 10 minutes for pints (500 ml) jars and 15 minutes for quart (1 L) jars, start counting when water returns to a boil. Turn off the heat, let jars sit in the water 5 minutes before removing to towel or cooling rack. Let sit overnight, or 12 hours, before labeling and storing.

Mustard pickle can be stored, away from heat and light, up to one year.