MIXED PICKLES To make cheap mixed pickles have at hand a keg containing vinegar and put into it from time to time odds and ends of vegetables, as small green beans, young cucumbers, small onions, radish pods, bits of cauliflower, and the like, adding vinegar from time to time to keep the vegetables covered. Thus any odd vegetables can be pre served without expense except for the vinegar, spice, etc., and with very lit tle trouble. When the keg is nearly full place the contents in a suitable kettle with vine leaves and boil them about tvvo hours.
Drain off the hot vinegar, immerse the vegetables in cold water for an hour or more to harden, add spiceS to the vinegar, boil for five minutes, drain the vegetables thoroughly, place them in a suitable keg or jar and pour the scalding hot pickling liquid over them.
Or take any assortment of succu lent vegetables, as small French beans of uniform siz,e, small select gherkins 2 or 3 inches long, small cucumbers sliced, and prepare them as for ordi nary cucumber pickles.
Prepare separately such vegeta bles as broccoli, cauliflower stripped into branches, small pickling onions peeled, small red peppers, capsicums, radish pods, small fruit, white and red cabbage, celery, nasturtium seeds and the like by steeping for a short time, say two or three days, in brine and slightly freshening them. Now pack the gherkins and sliced cucum bers with the other vegetables in wide-mouthed glass bottles or jars in such a way as to show the greatest variety of color and display the con tents to the best advantage. Much of the attractiveness and consequent salability of mixed pickles is due to skillful packing. Cover with any of the above spiced liquids recommend ed for cucumber pickles.
Or prepare a special pickle con taining turmeric, which will improve the color. For each gallon of vinegar mix 4 ounces of ginger, 4 ounces of turmeric, 2 ounces of white pepper, 2 ounces of chili pepper, 2 ounces of allspice, 1 ounce of garlic, ounce of shallots, pound of bay salt. Bruise together in a mortar and boil in the vinegar not to exceed five minutes.
Pour this liquid scalding hot over the vegetables and when cold slice in Pound of horse-radish and stir in 1 pound of mustard seed.
Or for each gallon of vinegar mix 3 ounces of bay salt, I pound of mus tard, 2 ounces of turmeric, 3 ounces of ginger, 1 ounce of cloves, ounce of black pepper, Cayenne, or paprika to taste. Bruise the spices in a mor tar, mix all together and boil in the vinegar not more than five minutes.
Mustard Pickles.—Steep in a weak brine for twenty-four hours about 2 quarts of gherkins, 1 quart of pickling onions, 2 quarts of small green tomatoes, 1 small cabbage head chopped fine, or one large cau liflower pulled into branches with 3 or 4 green peppers and boil. Then stir together in a mixing bowl 1 cup of flour, 6 tablespoonfuls of mustard, 1 heaping teaspoonful of turmeric, 1 quart of sugar. Rub up with a little cold vinegar and stir in the addi tional vinegar to make 2 quarts in all. Cook over a brisk fire, stirring con stantly until it thickens. Pour over the pickles scalding hot and seal.
Cut into small pieces 1 quart of large green cucumbers, 1 quart of very small gherkins, 2 inches in length or less, 1 quart of white button onions, 1 quart of green tomatoes sliced and cut in cubes, 1 large cauli flower pulled into tiny flowerets, and 4 peppers sliced and cut into cubes. Do not chop the ingredients, but cut into cubes or chunks to inch in thickness. Soak for twenty-four hours in a weak brine of about 1 cupful of salt in a gallon of water.
Place the whole on the fire, bring to a boil and pour into a colander to drain. Mix together in a bowl 6 ta blespoonfuls of ground mustard, 1 of turmeric, 1 cupful of flour, 1 cupful of brown sugar, mix dry, rub into a smooth cream with a little vinegar, and dilute with additional vinegar, 2 quarts being used in all. Pour the mixture into a preserving kettle and let it boil until it thickens, then stir in the picides, let them boil up. Pour into suitable cans or jars, and seal.