Green Tomato Relish (Virginia Chow Chow)

Chow-chow - a pickled mix of green tomatoes, onions, cabbage and cucumbers also known as piccalilli - is a beloved traditional Southern United States relish. If you have tomatoes aplenty cropping up in your garden, give this recipe a whirl. Chow-chow relish recipes vary widely from family to family. There even is a Pennsylvania version that's much sweeter than the tart Southern classic. This version hails from the publication; Housekeeping in Old Virginia. While you can eat Chow-Chow on its own, the relish is usually eaten atop biscuits, burgers, hot dogs or even crab cakes.

16 cups green tomatoes (~6 lbs)
1 large head cabbage
6 large onions
12 medium cucumbers
1 cup horseradish, grated
kosher salt
½ lb white mustard seed
¼ cup black pepper, freshly ground
1 Tbsp. turmeric
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. sucanat or brown sugar
vinegar, to cover
¼ cup ground mustard
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Finely dice the tomatoes, cabbage, onions and cucumbers. Pack vegetables and horseradish into a large pickling jar. Top with about ½ cup kosher salt.

Let sit overnight.

In the morning, drain off the brine and cover with hot vinegar. Pack with salt again that night and repeat the process the next morning and night. On the third morning, drain off the brine and add mustard seed, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and brown sugar. Cover with hot vinegar.

Mix together ground mustard and olive oil. Mix into the chow-chow while it's still warm. Chill and serve.

Makes about 1 gallon (8 pints).