Autumn piccalilli with pear

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only
Eaten immediately, this pickle will have a punchy
tang, perfect with strong cheeses, but by winter
the flavours will mellow, ideal for sliced ham.

  • Prep:20 mins
    Cook:15 mins
    Plus salting overnight
  • Serves 5 x 500ml jars
  • More effort

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 31
  • fat 0g
  • saturates 1g
  • carbs 6g
  • sugars 5g
  • fibre 0g
  • protein 1g
  • salt 1.01g

Ingredients

  • 2 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 400g silverskin or pearl onions
  • 600g courgettes, cut into small chunks (about 2cm pieces)
  • 6 firm pears, cored, and cut as the courgettes
  • 100g salt
  • 1.7l cider vinegar
  • finger-length piece fresh root ginger, grated
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 3 tbsp brown or black mustard seeds
  • 300g golden caster sugar
  • 8 tbsp cornflour
  • 5 tbsp English mustard powder
  • 3 tsp turmeric

Tip

Know-how
To sterilise jars, run them through the dishwasher, or wash well in hot soapy water, rinse, then dry in a low oven. If you’re pickling and recycling old jam jars, it’s important to cover the pickle with a wax disc first so the metal lid doesn’t react with the vinegar.

Method

  1. In a bowl, mix together the vegetables, pears and salt with 2 litres of cold water, then cover and leave overnight.

  2. The next day, drain the brine from the vegetables, rinse briefly, then tip into a large saucepan with the vinegar, ginger, coriander seeds, mustard seeds and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8-10 mins until the veg is just tender but still with a little bite. Drain the vegetables, reserving the liquid, and set aside while you make the sweet mustard sauce.

  3. In a large bowl, stir together the cornflour, mustard powder and turmeric, then gradually pour in the hot vinegar while whisking, until you have a lump-free, thin yellow sauce. Return it to the saucepan and bubble over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 4 mins until smooth and thickened. Stir in the veg and spoon into five sterilised 500ml jars while hot, then seal. Once cool, enjoy straight away, or store in a cool, dark cupboard for 2-3 months. Refrigerate once opened.

Suggested recipes from this collection...