Piccalilli A traditional British pickled vegetable condiment with roots in colonial adaptations of South Asian pickling. Sharp with vinegar, punchy with mustard, and full of warming spice, this is a great way to preserve seasonal vegetables. Makes 1 large sterilised jar Best made Spring and summer, using seasonal vegetables. Cauliflower is at its best from October to May. Ingredients Vegetables 1 head of cauliflower, cut into very small florets 1 carrot, diced into 1cm pieces 1 courgette, diced into 1cm pieces 1 cucumber, diced into 1cm pieces A handful of silverskin onions A handful of green beans or runner beans, chopped Sea salt, for salting Pickling liquor 300ml white wine vinegar 150ml malt vinegar 1/2 small red chilli Spice mix 25g mustard powder 50g caster sugar 1/4 tsp fennel seeds 1/4 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp turmeric To thicken 1 tbsp cornstarch A little water Method Place the cauliflower florets in a tray or tub with the carrot, courgette, silverskin onions, and beans. Do not add the cucumber yet. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and leave overnight, or for up to 24 hours. Rinse the salted vegetables well and drain thoroughly. Salt the diced cucumber separately and leave for 20 minutes only. Rinse and drain. To make the pickling liquor, bring the white wine vinegar, malt vinegar, and half a red chilli to the boil in a saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow the chilli to infuse. For more heat, finely dice the chilli instead and leave it in the mixture. In a bowl, combine the mustard powder, caster sugar, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and turmeric. Gradually whisk the hot vinegar mixture into the dry ingredients, adding a little at a time to avoid lumps. Return the mixture to the heat and cook gently for 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with a little water to form a slurry. Add this gradually to the pickling liquor until it thickens to a spoon-coating consistency. Use a stick blender to smooth out any lumps, if needed. Add all of the prepared vegetables to a large bowl or container. Pour over the warm pickling liquor and stir until everything is evenly coated. Pack the piccalilli into a sterilised glass jar and seal. Leave at room temperature for a couple of weeks before eating, to allow the flavours to develop. To serve Serve with cold meats, cheeses, jacket potatoes, sourdough, or simply with bread and butter. Notes This recipe works well with whatever vegetables are in season. The cucumber is salted separately because it needs much less time than the other vegetables. The piccalilli develops better flavour after resting for at least two weeks.