It's a Southern Thing: Chow Chow Relish

I recently posted the following as my Facebook status update: "I have become a Southern woman of a certain age." Now, not literally...but I found myself canning (canning!) a batch of that Southernest of condiments: chow chow.

But there's more to the story...

I recently tried this recipe for fried green tomatoes. Well, it seems one can't just buy two green tomatoes at the farmers market as the recipe calls for. So I found myself with four or five "extras" sitting on the counter. I wondered what to do with them and my other half suggested I make chow chow like his grandmother used to make. Of course he had no recipe. Off to the Internet I went.

I found this recipe and after his taste test, he said it was spot on. The batch was so big, I went ahead and canned it (something I had never done before which turned out to be far easier than I anticipated). We gave it away so quickly that I found myself making a second batch the following week. This time I added two poblano peppers for a little more kick. It was a great call...I will now include it in the posted recipe.

Try it and see what you think. It's delicious on peas or beans, on sandwiches, in scrambled eggs...the possibilities are endless.

Chow Chow
Makes 5 1/2 pints.

5 green bell peppers
5 red bell peppers
2 large green tomatoes
2 large onions
2 poblano peppers, halved and seeded
1/2 small cabbage
1/4 cup pickling salt
3 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
3/4 teaspoon turmeric

Chop first 5 ingredients.*

Stir together chopped vegetables and salt in a large Dutch oven. Cover and chill 8 hours. Rinse and drain; return mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in sugar and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes.

Pack hot mixture into hot jars, filling to 1/2 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims.

Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands.

Process in boiling-water bath 15 minutes.

* Although our grandmothers didn't have one, an alligator chopper makes this recipe much easier.