Green Tomato Chow Chow Recipe

What You Will Need

Green Tomato Chow-Chow

Florence Jackson, the author’s grandmother and a Nova Scotia native, made use of shoulder-season produce to prepare this tangy relish. It is often served with meat and fish dishes, where it adds a bright note of sweetness. While chow-chow can be used immediately, its flavor improves with time. Consider making a large batch and putting it up in properly sterilized canning jars to last through the winter months.

Yield: makes 2 Cups

Time: 7 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₄ lb. green (unripened) tomatoes, cored and finely diced (3 cups)
¹⁄₃ lb. yellow onion, finely diced (1 cup)
¹⁄₄ cup finely diced green or red bell pepper
1 tbsp. kosher salt
¹⁄₄ tsp. brown mustard seed
¹⁄₄ tsp. coriander seeds
3 allspice berries
3 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 whole clove
¹⁄₂ small cinnamon stick
Pinch ground cardamom
Pinch powdered ginger
²⁄₃ cup white vinegar
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
3 tbsp. sugar

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, diced pepper, and salt. Cover the bowl with a plate and let stand at room temperature for at least 6 hours, and up to overnight.
Set a fine mesh strainer over the sink and drain the tomato mixture, gently pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the liquid.
In a small bowl, combine the mustard seeds, coriander, allspice berries, black peppercorns, bay leaf, clove, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and ginger. Transfer the mixture to a sachet made from a double layer of cheesecloth, and tie to seal.
Transfer the tomato mixture to a medium saucepan. Add the vinegar, sugars, and the spice sachet, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the chow-chow has reduced to a fragrant, dry relish, 40–50 minutes. Chill, then serve immediately, or refrigerate in a covered jar for up to one month.