Lynda Brown's Sweetcorn and Pepper Relish

As its name implies, relish packs a tangy punch of flavour. Made from diced fruit or vegetables, it is part pickle, part chutney, but cooked for a shorter time than a chutney. It is a classic accompaniment to barbecued food and burgers.

Makes approximately 1 kg (2 and a half lb) (2 small preserving jars)
Takes 35-40 minutes
Keeps 3 months

Ingredients
4 fresh sweetcorn cobs
2 medium red peppers, or 1 green and 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely diced
2 celery sticks, sliced finely
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced (optional)
1 medium onion, peeled and finely sliced
450ml (15fl oz) white wine vinegar
225g (8oz) granulated sugar
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

Strip the kernels from the cobs by holding them upright and running a large sharp knife down the sides. Blanch the kernels in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain well.

Put the sweetcorn and the other ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Then simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly and has only a little liquid left in the bottom of the pan when you draw a wooden spoon across it.

Check the seasoning is right, then pot into warm sterilized jars. The relish should be a spoonable consistency and wetter than a chutney.


From The Preserving Book (Dorling Kindersley, 2010)