CHOW-CHOW

ALTHOUGH THIS MUSTARD-FLAVOR MELANGE OF PICKLED VEGETABLES IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THIS COUNTRY BY CHINESE RAILROAD LABORERS, IT IS MOST ASSOCIATED IN THIS COUNTRY WITH PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COOKING.

PREP: 1 HOUR 25 MINUTES STAND: 8 TO 24 HOURS PROCESS: 10 MINUTES MAKES: 6 PINTS

3 large onions, cut up
4 medium green tomatoes, cored and cut up
4 medium green sweet peppers, seeded and cut up
2 medium red sweet peppers, seeded, and cut up
2 medium carrots, cut up
12 ounces green beans, cut into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)
2 cups small cauliflower florets
1½ cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
¼ cup pickling salt
3 cups sugar
2 cups vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (optional)
1½ teaspoons celery seeds
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

1. Using a coarse blade on a food grinder, grind onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and carrots. (Or use a food processor to process onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and carrots in batches until finely chopped.) Transfer ground or chopped vegetables to an extra-large nonmetal bowl. Add green beans, cauliflower, and corn. Sprinkle vegetables with pickling salt; cover. Let stand at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours.

2. Place a large colander in sink. Transfer vegetable mixture to colander. Rinse with cold water; drain again.

3. Transfer drained vegetables to an 8- to 10-quart stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy pot. In a medium bowl combine sugar, vinegar, the water, mustard seeds, ginger (if desired), celery seeds, and turmeric. Pour vinegar mixture over vegetables in pot. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Ladle hot mixture into hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.

5. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks.

PER 2 TABLESPOONS: 35 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 63 mg sodium, 8 g carb., 1 g fiber, 0 g pro.

KNOW YOUR SALT

Pickling salt, also called canning salt, contains no potassium iodide or anti-caking agents—both of which are added to table salt. Many home canners prefer pickling salt to table salt; iodide can cause discoloration and anti-caking agents can cause cloudiness.