An excellent topper for hot dogs and hamburgers. And a great way to use up your garden cucumbers.
Ingredients
2 cups cucumbers, finely chopped
2 shallots, peeled and minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon water (if needed)
Preparation:
- Stir together the chopped cucumbers, shallots and salt. Place the mixture into a strainer or sieve over a bowl, and put in the refrigerator for 3 hours. You want as much liquid to drain from the mixture as possible. Discard the liquid.
- Here's where it gets funky. Dump the cucumber mixture onto a clean, dry dish towel (cotton - not terrycloth or anything fuzzy), roll it up and press/wring out any more liquid you can.
Cooking & Serving:
- Combine vinegar and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to boil and continue boiling about 3-4 minutes, until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add the cucumber mixture and simmer, stirring it, about 2 minutes.
- If you prefer the relish to be thicker, stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer (stirring it) about 1 minute.
- Transfer to a bowl and chill uncovered at least 2 hours before spooning onto the dogs, burgers or other grilled meat of your choice.
A Little Backstory:
I don't like pickles. There, I said it. Or maybe I'm just a pickle snob? I spent my life pulling slimy, foul pickles off fast food burgers and sandwich plates until I went to Katz's Deli in NYC and tried their homemade pickles -- fresh, green, al dente. Oh THIS is how pickles are supposed to taste!? I still won't eat the squishy jar variety, but yes to the homemade version -- where you can recognize it was recently a honorable cucumber.
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