Zucchini Relish

From the garden

• 6 cups zucchini, coarsely shredded (about 2½ pounds)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped

From the pantry

• ¼ cup canning or pickling salt · for the salting stage; most of it rinses away
• 2 cups sugar
• 2½ cups distilled white vinegar (5%) · the tested acidity; don't reduce it
• 1 tbsp mustard seed · celery seed and a little turmeric are the other classic additions if you keep them
• ½ tsp black pepper

1. Toss the shredded zucchini, onion, and bell pepper with the canning salt in a big bowl and let stand 2 hours. Drain in a colander, rinse well under cold water, rinse again, then squeeze out as much liquid as your hands can manage.
2. Wash 5 half-pint jars and keep them hot in the water-bath canner as it heats; wash the lids and bands.
3. Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, and black pepper to a boil in a wide pot, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the squeezed vegetables and simmer 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
4. Ladle the hot relish into the hot jars leaving ½ inch headspace, release air bubbles with a thin spatula, wipe the rims, and screw the bands on fingertip-tight.
5. Process in boiling water covering the jars by 1 inch for 10 minutes. Altitude adjustment: at 1,001–6,000 ft process 15 minutes; above 6,000 ft, 20 minutes.
6. Cool undisturbed on a towel 12–24 hours, check the seals, and refrigerate any jar that didn't. Give it 2 weeks in the jar before opening.