Zucchini relish is a vegetable relish made with squash squash. It can be used as a condiment in a wide variety of foods, including sandwiches, roasts, Indian food, etc. Some stores sell zucchini sauce, and it can also be made at home, for people who are comfortable with the home canning process. Zucchini relish also makes a great homemade gift for people trying to think of inexpensive holiday gifts.
Sliced raw zucchini.
This condiment is a great way to consume zucchini from the garden. Zucchini plants are known for producing vegetables in high volume, and it can be difficult to use them all without getting deeply ill from zucchini. By making a zucchini relish, cooks can save some zucchini for the winter, when the vegetable can be highly prized. Zucchini seasoning also softens large zucchini, making them palatable.
Zucchini before cutting it.
For every six pounds (about three kilograms) of vegetables, three cups (700 milliliters) of vinegar should be used, along with 1/3 cup (about 100 grams) of pickling salt and three cups (600 grams) of sugar. Some cooks use up to six cups (1200 grams) of sugar for a much sweeter form of zucchini seasoning. The vegetables should cook for 15 to 30 minutes, until they begin to soften and the mixture thickens. Some cooks add cornstarch to make sure the seasoning thickens.
Canning salt, used to make zucchini seasoning.
In addition to the star ingredient, zucchini relish typically includes onions, sweet peppers, and sometimes hot peppers as well. Vegetables are grated, sliced, or shredded before being sprinkled with pickling or canning salt, left to stand overnight, and then drained. While the vegetables are draining, the vinegar, sugar and spice mixture can be brought to a boil to cook the zucchini. Some seasoning ideas include celery seed, turmeric, nutmeg, cracked black pepper, and paprika. Cooks can also use generic pickling spices from the store.
Celery seed can be used as a seasoning for zucchini.
Once the zucchini sauce has been cooked, it can be placed in jars and processed in a canning bath. The next day, the jars should have their lids completely inverted, indicating that the seal has worn off and will be safe for up to a year. If the lids are loose or have come off, the jars need to be reprocessed. Once opened, a jar of zucchini sauce will last up to a month in the refrigerator.
