PICKLING – The Recipes:

Beetroot

Wash the beets, care should be taken not to break the skins. Place in boiling, salted water, and simmer gently for 1 ½ hrs.,or cook for 20 minutes at 15 lb pressure in a pressure cooker. When cold, peel and slice into rounds ¼ inch thick, pack into bottles and cover with cold spiced vinegar.
If required for long keeping, do not pack the beetroot too rightly, cover well with boiling vinegar and seal in a bottling jar.

Red Cabbage

The cabbages should be firm and of a good colour. Remove any discoloured outer leaves and cut the cabbage into shreds. Place the shreds in a large basin and sprinkle each layer with salt. Leave for 24 hr. drain the shreds thoroughly, rinsing off any surplus salt, then pack loosely into jars or bottles and cover with cold spiced vinegar. This cabbage is suitable for use after a week, but will lose its crispness after two or three months’ storage.

Onions

Select small even-sized onions and place without skinning in a brine made from 1 lb.(453g.) salt to 1 gal.(4.5L)water. Leave for 12 hr. and then peel, lay in a fresh brine, being careful to keep them below the surface and leave for 24-36 hr. Remove from the brine, and allow to drain thoroughly. Pack the onions into jars or bottles, cover with cold spiced vinegar and keep for 3 to 4 months before using.

Piccalilli

3 lb.(1.36 kilos) marrow (prepared)
6 oz. (170g.) sugar
1 lb.(453g.) cauliflower (prepared)
1 ½ oz (43g.) mustard
¾ lb(340g.) beans (prepared)
1 ½ oz.(43g.) ground ginger
½ lb.(227g.)onions (prepared)
¾ oz.(21g.) flour
½ cucumber (prepared)
½ oz.(14g.) turmeric
¾ lb.(340g.) salt
2 pints (1.1L) vinegar

Cut the vegetables into small pieces, sprinkle with salt and leave for 24 hr. Mix a little vinegar with the spices and flour. Rinse and drain the vegetables and boil in the vinegar and sugar for 20 min., stir in the spices and boil for 3 minutes.

Mixed Pickle

Cauliflowers, onions, cucumbers and French beans may be used for a mixed pickle. Small cucumbers, if they can be obtained, are preferable to large ones. Cut the vegetables into pieces of suitable size, sprinkle salt over them and leave for 48 hr. Then wash, drain thoroughly, and pack into bottles, arranging the vegetables neatly. Cover with cold spiced vinegar and seal.