Ellas Chow Chow Recipes

ELLA'S CHOW-CHOW

Steps:

• If you don't have all the vegetables mentioned, increase the quantity of the vegetables you do have until you have 6 quarts of chopped vegetables. (However, be sure to use some cabbage, peppers, carrots and onions- the other veggies are optional).
• In large pot, stir dry ingredients together, then add liquid ingredients.
• Bring all syrup ingredients to a boil and boil until thickened, stirring frequently.
• Add chopped vegetables and bring to a boil.
• Cook 5 minutes on simmer until vegetables are hot.
• Pack into hot, sterilized jars and seal with hot sterilized lids.
• Invert and let rest for 2 minutes.
• Turn right-side-up and let cool.
• When jars are cooled, the lids should be slightly concave which signifies a good canning seal.
• NOTE: My mother-in-law never processed them in a water bath, but you may do so for about 30 minutes, if you prefer.

CHOWCHOW

Steps:

• Mix together the bell peppers, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, jalapeno and salt in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the liquid from the mixture.
• In a large pot over medium-high heat, toast the mustard seeds and celery seeds until they begin to pop, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar and 1 cup water, and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the vegetable mixture and the crushed red pepper, mustard powder, turmeric, ginger and cinnamon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 1 hour.
• Allow to cool. Serve over beans and cornbread or as a relish for pulled pork or hot dogs.

CHOW CHOW II

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans, cauliflower, lima beans, and corn. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes or just until tender; drain. Return vegetables to pot, and mix in onions, bell peppers, and green tomatoes.
• Heat vinegar in a saucepan until boiling. Stir in sugar, salt, celery seed, mustard seed, ground mustard, and ground turmeric until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over vegetables in pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour into 12 sterilized pint jars, and seal.

CHOW CHOW I

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and salt. Let stand overnight.
• Drain the tomato/pepper mixture and add the hot chile peppers, vinegar, sugar, and horseradish. Wrap the cinnamon, allspice, and cloves in cheesecloth or a porous bag, and add to tomato/pepper mixture.
• Boil for 15 minutes, or until tender.
• Pack tightly in sterilized jars and seal.

CHOWCHOW

Steps:

• Toss cabbage, green tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, and salt in a large bowl until all of the vegetables are coated in salt (this will help them release some water). Cover and chill at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. Drain vegetables.
• Toast mustard seeds in a large pot over medium-high heat, shaking pan, until fragrant and slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add both vinegars, sugar, mustard, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.
• Add garlic and drained vegetables to pickling liquid and mix well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors have melded and liquid is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. The cabbage and green tomatoes should still have a bit of a crunch. Let cool (this will take about 1 hour).
• Using a slotted spoon, divide chowchow among sterilized glass jars of choice and spoon pickling liquid over (chowchow should be submerged and there should be about ½" space at the top of each jar. Cover and chill.
• Do ahead: Chowchow can be made 1 month ahead. Keep chilled. If you'd like to keep it longer, you can use the water bath boiling technique to make the jarred chowchow shelf stable.

CHOW-CHOW

Steps:

• Add 1 cup of the salt to the chopped tomatoes in a very large plastic or glass bowl (must be non-reactive, not metal). Mix well & let stand overnight. This might be a good time to clean the remaining vegetables. Thoroughly wash them, removing cores and seeds from peppers, leaves & core from cauliflower and any other undesirable parts. Then thoroughly drain the water off them and store them covered in the fridge until ready to use.
• Next day: drain the tomatoes and place in a large, non-reactive stock-pot but don't turn on the heat yet. (The only one I could think of was the kind coated with enamel, so I went out an got a huge one).
• Either get out your food processor, or a nice big sharp chef's knife because you need to FINELY chop the remaining vegetables (bell peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, onions, hot peppers, garlic). Add all to to the stock pot with the tomatoes.
• Add vinegar, remaining 1/4 cup salt, horseradish, spices.
• Slowly bring to a boil, and simmer about 10 minutes or until onions are getting tender.
• Pack into freshly cleaned & hot canning jars leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace (depending on jar size) place lids on and screw the rings on.
• Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes by submerging over the tops in a deep pot of hot (almost boiling) water on the stove for 15 minutes. Remove from the pot and let cool and seal.
• My personal critique:.
• I like more onions, like say, double this amount. I'd also just as soon use 2 heads of cabbage as 1 cabbage & 1 cauliflower but that's just me. The cider vinegar could just as easily be white vinegar, and the sugar could also be all brown or all white. Obviously any changes would make a difference in flavor but not enough for me to care. And the spices, I thought some were overdone, mainly the turmeric, allspice and cloves. If I did it again I'd choose to still add them but reduce their amounts to 1/2. Conversely, I think there could be more ginger & ground mustard -- maybe double them? (Read next year's critique.) And lastly, I think we should have added ground black pepper. Many of the recipes called for it, and frankly I think we just forgot. Seems like the recipes call for about 1 tablespoon per gallon of chopped veggies. See you next year!