PICKLED SPICED CAULIFLOWER

Another one of my favourite times of the year, I do love the beginning, middle and end of every season, right now September brings out the canning passion, exciting new recipes and tried and tested old faithfuls ready to reward all the work we have put into the garden and with the help of nature all the food we have produced, we have also had the pleasure of eating from the garden daily throughout the spring and summer and are now coming to the end of this season ready to harvest the final gluts of extra vegetables that will need to be preserved to supplement us through winter along with the new fresh winter vegetables that will be growing in the garden as the cycle starts again.

You will  need a large deep saucepan (water bath) that you can place all the jars in to simmer covered with water for this canning water bath process.

Prep Time 10 minutes / Sterilising Jars 5 minutes/ Canning Water Bath Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

(makes 5 x 1pt jars /1 year shelf life)

2 x heads of cauliflower

2 tsp Himalayan salt

4 1/2 cups white wine vinegar 5%

2 cups caster sugar

2 large onions finely sliced

6 carrots julienned

2 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp fenugreek seeds

2 tsp celery salt

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp dried crushed chillies

1 tsp fennel seeds

Place your large deep water bath saucepan on a high heat and another smaller saucepan of water on a medium heat and bring to a simmer while you prepare all the vegetables, cut all the cauliflower florets and rinse in a bowl of water, when the smaller saucepan of water is at a rolling simmer add the salt and cauliflower and cook for two minutes, drain and leave to one side.

Slice the onions and julienne the carrots, place to one side.  Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees and place your jars and lids separate on a large roasting tin and heat for five minutes, remove and you are almost ready to can.  

In a saucepan place the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, fenugreek, celery salt, turmeric, dried chillies and fennel seeds, bring to a simmer add the onions and carrots and leave to simmer for one minute then take off the heat, now you are ready to can, take your cauliflower and fill  your jars, next pour or ladle in the vinegar onion and carrot spiced vinegar almost to the top, leaving one inch head space at the top of the jar, tap the jars or using a chop stick or skewer remove any air bubbles, place the lids on, and just give a quarter turn back so that the lids are not tight.

Place the jars in the simmering water bath, this must be above 88 degrees celsius, simmer for ten minutes, then remove and leave to cool on the side, once cool these are now ready for storage, keep in a cool place for up to one year, once opened store in the fridge and eat within three weeks, but I can't believe that they will last that long!