Legume Free Chow Chow Relish
This tangy, golden relish is a Southern classic reimagined with a clean, simple ingredient list that happens to be completely free of beans, lentils, and legumes of any kind. Cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and onion get salted and pressed until beautifully dry, then simmered in a bright brine of apple cider vinegar and honey with warm notes of turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon. The result is a glossy, syrupy relish that hits every note — sweet, sour, a little earthy, and deeply savory. Store-bought relishes and condiments can be surprisingly tricky territory, with hidden ingredients that don't always make it onto the front label, so making your own from scratch puts you fully in control. The technique of squeezing out the salted vegetables before cooking is what gives this relish its concentrated flavor and that satisfying, jammy texture rather than a watery, loose consistency. It's incredible piled onto grilled meats, tucked into sandwiches, or served alongside roasted vegetables as a punchy finishing condiment. A batch keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks, so you can make it ahead and reach for it all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
16 servings
- 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup carrot, finely grated
- 1 cup zucchini, finely diced
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
For finishing
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Combine the shredded cabbage, grated carrot, diced zucchini, and diced onion in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon fine sea salt and toss well to coat. Let the vegetables sit for 1 hour at room temperature until they have released a significant amount of liquid and softened noticeably.
- 2
Transfer the salted vegetables to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze firmly over the sink until as much liquid as possible has been expelled — the vegetables should feel dry and compact.
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