Green Tomato Relish (American South Chow Chow)

Pickled chow chow celebrates the earthy pucker of fresh green tomatoes. This pickled vegetable relish, is built from a base of fresh, firm green tomatoes. This version mixed with serrano peppers and spiced with the warmth of mace or nutmeg, blends really well with the earthiness of the tomatoes.

6 green tomatoes, cored and diced
1 or 2 serrano peppers, seeded and diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1½ green bell peppers, seeded and diced
½ bunch celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. mustard seed
½ Tbsp. fennel seed
½ tsp. turmeric
½ Tbsp. blades of mace or 1 scant tsp. ground nutmeg
½ Tbsp. whole black peppercorns
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar

Place diced vegetables in a large bowl and season with salt, tossing to combine. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight.

Set a colander into a large bowl and strain vegetables, reserving the liquid.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium and toast mustard seed, fennel seed, turmeric, mace blades (or nutmeg), and black peppercorns for 2–3 minutes or until fragrant, tossing frequently.

In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar and 2 cups of reserved vegetable liquid to a boil. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve, and toasted spices. Reduce heat to medium-low and reduce liquid slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Pour hot liquid over diced vegetables.

Let cool to room temperature, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Or, to preserve, ladle mixture into sterilized jars kept warm in hot water and preserve according to standard water-bath technique. For more information about canning, see Ball's freshpreserving.com.