RECIPE BY: Annie Smithers
An absolute must in my pantry. This pickle is fantastic with cheddar and thick slices of bread, but even better with grilled haloumi cheese and soft Turkish rolls.
Ingredients
- 2 kg green tomatoes
- 6 large onions
- 300gm coarse sea salt
- 1.2 litres white vinegar, plus extra to blend
- 1 kg raw sugar
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 35g cornflour
Method
- Thinly slice the tomatoes and onion ( a food-processor slicing blade works well for this). Mix with the salt and leave overnight.
- Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, sugar, cayenne pepper, chilli, peppercorns and cloves in a large saucepan and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Leave to stand overnight.
- Rinse the tomato and onion very well in cold water and squeeze out any excess moisture.
- Strain the pickling syrup, then return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Mix together the turmeric, mustard powder and cornflour and add a little extra vinegar to make a paste. Stir into the boiling pickle to thicken the liquid.
- Bottle immediately in sterilised jars (see page 34 in Annie’s book for more information). Store in a cool, dark place for 12 months. Once opened, store in the fridge.
Makes 6 – 7 x 300 ml jars.
While you're here
Pop Into a Providore
Fun fact: some of Australia’s very first providores popped up right here, in Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges, way back in the 1850s. Our region was at the epicentre of the gold rush, and Swiss Italians settled here early on; some earning a living as providores. One of their enduring legacies is the Bull Boar sausage, which you can still find at some local butchers. The Swiss Italians were also instrumental in helping preserve our famous mineral springs, which were at risk from the extensive mining, but that’s another story.
Spring Gardens
As the crisp Winter dew begins to melt, the Daylesford Macedon region unfurls like a flower bud turning to the morning sun.
A Weekend For Our Fellow Francophiles
International travel and those long-missed Euro-trips may be back on the cards. But why fork out all your money on an international airfare when you can get a little taste of France right here in central Victoria?
Get Ready For Some Outdoor Adventures
My lovely wife always says ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices’. And while we love the cooler months up here, sometimes we need to pop on a jacket and beanie! Whether it’s a gentle stroll, a challenging hike, a quiet cycling trail or a technical mountain bike track, we have loads of great options to get into nature.
