Almost Spicy Zucchini Relish

Isn't this rosette of zucchini lovely. This is the product of the best thing I ever bought at a yard sale...

This is a Mouli. Mine is embossed with the words, "a 'MOULI' PRODUCT...PATENTS PENDING." I'm thinking they made a fortune. You can purchase modern Moulis, but they are mostly plastic except for the blades. There is something really satisfying about processing a big bunch of veggies by hand without the noisy drama of a food processor.

This zucchini relish recipe started with my Grandma Betty. I remember liking it very much. When I saw the large, overgrown squashes at the farmer's market, I knew they would be perfect for this. I used several varieties of green and yellow summer squash and grated them with the Mouli. I chopped the other veggies.

I wanted to spice it up, so I added jalapenos and red pepper flakes. When I started this blog, I said that I would let you learn along with me. This relish is one to chalk up to the learning curve. I'm not used to working with peppers, and I tend to be a bit too cautious. I only added two chopped jalapenos and one teaspoon of red pepper flakes for 10 cups of squash. Upon my last tasting, it was not spicy at all. Sigh. I even labeled it as spicy, and I feel like that's false advertising. Also, it is very sweet. If it had been really hot, I think that would have cut the sweetness, but sweet is what you get in a bite full of this. It's not bad though. I had it on hot dogs, and it has a nice crunch and the onions and bell peppers come through. On my next attempt, I will use less sugar and a lot more jalapenos. I'll also slice the jalapenos and include the seeds. This should be pretty as well as hot.

The finished product looks nice, and I'm sure Grandma Betty and my mom will like it.

Here's the recipe, along with my notes for future changes:

Zucchini Relish

10 cups grated zucchini

4 cups finely chopped or grated onion

2 finely chopped bell peppers (color is your choice)

jalapenos to taste (I used two that were seeded and chopped. Next time, I'm thinking 6, sliced with seeds for more heat)

5 Tbsp. salt

Mix these together and let stand 6 hours or overnight. A lot of liquid will be drawn out of the vegetables. When salt soak is completed, drain and rinse thoroughly and allow to drain while preparing jars.

Prepare 6 pint jars and lids. Prepare boiling water bath.

Put the veggie mixture in a large pot and add

2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

4 cups sugar (Too sweet for me! Next time, I'll try 3 cups)

1 Tbsp. mustard seeds

2 tsp. celery seeds

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. red pepper flakes (could use more)

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Mix well and heat on medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Turn to medium-low and simmer until thick - about 35 minutes. Ladle into prepared jars and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Serve with hot dogs, sausages, or stirred into tuna or chicken salad.