It’s the late summer here in the mountain foothills of North Carolina, and it is time to start pickling. Many varieties of hot peppers grow like weeds in our hot southern summers. Dixie Relish is an old time recipe containing both bell and hot peppers. It is both delicious and fun to make.
There are many recipes to make this treat. This is the one my Mom followed. It takes a couple days to make, but it is so worth it.
Dixie Relish
2 cups green bell peppers – whole
2 cups sweet red bell peppers – whole
4 cups chopped cabbage
1 medium onion diced
2 Tablespoons salt
4 Tablespoons mustard seed
2 Tablespoon celery seed
3 or 4 whole hot red peppers
¾ cup sugar
1 quart vinegar
Soak bell peppers whole in brine of 1 cup salt and 1 gallon water – overnight.
Remove bell peppers from brine and let stand in clear, cold water, rinse well. Remove stems and seed and chop – (I use the food processor to get all the chopping done) – add chopped bell peppers to small crock.
Continue chopping your vegetables and placing them in the crock. Add your seasonings, including the remaining salt; sugar, vinegar and hot peppers – stir together well.
Let mixture steep overnight – press plastic wrap down to cover contents well and keep all vegetables submersed in brine.
Drain vegetable mixture and heat the liquid in large pan.  When the liquid boils, add the vegetables to it and simmer for 10 minutes. Seal in clean, hot jars. Recipe makes about 5 pints.
Enjoy making this hot, spicy treat. Add a pretty ribbon and tag to your jars–they make wonderful hostess and holiday gifts.
