This week, Roy wanted to make something which could be used as a gift. He has a few friends who have helped him out recently, and he wanted to make them something to say thank-you, but he wanted it to be something a bit different. He remembered seeing a recipe in his Great, Great Grandma’s cookbook for Cauliflower Pickles and thought it might be just the thing. He reduced the salt a little (as he has tried a few of these old recipes and thought there was a little too much salt), but otherwise followed her directions and was very pleased with the results. So this week Roy Creates Cauliflower Pickles, Like Great Grandma Used To Make.
Ingredients:
- Salt and boiling water (the amount of salt will vary depending on the amount of water you need)
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 1 kilogram of onions
- 2 litres of vinegar. Roy used brown malt vinegar, but if you want a more mustardy colour, use white.
- 2 cups of sugar
- 3 level tablespoons of mustard powder
- ¾ of a cup of plain flour
- 1 level tablespoon of turmeric
- ½ a level tablespoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon of curry powder
- 1 level dessertspoon of ground ginger
Note: Gran's recipe suggests you could add chokos or green tomatoes as well. Without these additions, this recipe made approximately 10 large jars worth of pickle.
Method:
- Peel the onions and cut them into small pieces.
- Cut the cauliflower into small pieces (discarding the base of the stalk and the outer leaves)
- Mix the onions and cauliflower together in a large glass bowl and pour over sufficient boiling water to cover, adding one tablespoon of salt per cup of water. Leave the vegetables to soak overnight. Roy actually needed two bowls to tell the truth - he didn't have a single glass bowl big enough!
- The next day, thoroughly wash the vegetables to remove the excess salt and drain them well.
- Measure out 200 millilitres of the vinegar and set aside for later
- In a large saucepan combine the remaining vinegar and sugar and heat them until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add the vegetables to the vinegar mix (this is best done off the heat, as you don’t want to burn yourself)
- Boil the vegetables in the vinegar until the cauliflower is just tender
- Mix together the mustard powder, flour, turmeric, cayenne pepper, curry powder and ginger in a small bowl.
- Add the remaining 200 millilitres of vinegar to the dry ingredients and mix to a slurry (wet paste)
- Remove the vegetables and vinegar from the heat and add the slurry, about a spoon at a time, stirring the slurry into the mix
- Return to the heat and boil until the mix thickens slightly and changes colour to a mustardy colour.
- Bottle in sterilised jars and set aside for a few days before use. (Roy showed how to sterilise jars when he made strawberry jam. To visit that post and find out how, click here)
- Enjoy with cold meat or cheese, or however else you like to eat pickles!