My Go-To Green Tomato Relish
By Andrew Zimmern
I’ve been making green tomato chow chow for about 20 years, ever since I got a recipe from a grandmother in Alabama. It’s one of those condiments I always want in my refrigerator. Crunchy, sweet, salty, sour and a little spicy, it’s fantastic with grilled fish, pork or chicken, stirred into tuna salad or served alongside smoked fish and cheese. I especially love the mustardy bite. Make a big batch, let it develop in the refrigerator for a week and you’ll find yourself putting it on just about everything.
Green Tomato Chow Chow
Ingredients
For the vegetables:
-
- 2 1/2 pounds green tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice
- 2 cups sweet onion, finely diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
For the pickling liquid:
- 1 3/4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons celery seeds
- 1 teaspoon lightly crushed coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
To finish:
- 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Combine the green tomatoes, onion, bell peppers and cabbage in a large bowl. Toss with the kosher salt and let stand at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.
Drain the vegetables thoroughly, rinse lightly and drain again until nearly dry.
In a large, nonreactive pot, combine all of the pickling liquid ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugars.
Add the drained vegetables to the pot. Return to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The tomatoes should soften slightly while maintaining their shape. You want the chow chow to retain some texture, not turn mushy.
Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the whole-grain mustard, dill, parsley and olive oil.
Let cool completely. Transfer to clean, airtight containers and refrigerate for 1 week before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Tips:
For an extra peppery kick, I sometimes finish my chow chow with a little Indian mustard oil. It’s particularly good when I’m serving it with grilled meats.
Storage: Keep refrigerated. This is a refrigerator pickle, not a shelf-stable canned preserve.
