Over the weekend we enjoyed a hot dog cookout. Among other foods, I made a corn relish using canned corn. It turned out delicious.
Corn relish is one of those true vintage recipes, popularized in 1940s and 1950s Southern and Midwestern communities in the US. It was a method of preserving end-of-summer corn to enjoy in winter, typically served alongside roast dinners of meat and potatoes. It added a bright and tangy addition to many cold season meals. Today, corn relish is usually enjoyed during grilling season.
As we're entering peak grilling and cookout season, I thought I'd share this quick and easy recipe that doesn't require a single minute of shucking, but delivers sweet, tangy, and spicy flavor to accompany beans, or meats, or added to sour cream for a dip, or topping avocado slices.
The recipe can be made in under an hour, with about 10 minutes of hands-on time spent washing and dicing vegetables, and about 25-30 minutes cook time.
Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 large green bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (plus 1 additional tablespoon, if desired after cooking)
1/8 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp mustard powder or 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp mustard powder or 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1⁄16 to 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt (plus 1/4 additional teaspoon, if desired after cooking)
In a saucepan combine the vinegar, water, sugar, spices, and salt. Bring to a low boil over medium. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Add diced vegetables. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the drained canned corn. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Taste, add 1 additional tablespoon vinegar if desired, and 1/4 additional teaspoon of salt, if desired.
Remove from heat. Cool and store in clean glass jars in the refrigerator. This is a refrigerator relish and cannot be stored in a cupboard. Use within 2 months.
Yield: about 3 cups
If you try this, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Have you made corn relish before?
Corn relish is always a winner. Canned corn is good and fresh corn is even better. But it's a while before it will be corn season here.
ReplyDeleteHi Live and Learn,
DeleteIt's a long while before farm fresh corn is available in my area. We see farm corn ready for picking in mid to late August, here. I don't grow it in the garden due to squirrels and raccoons getting to it before it's ready. So when we want true fresh picked corn, we go to the farms around Labor day, and that's a long ways off. But the canned corn makes a great relish, and it's always available.
Do you grow corn in your garden?