Mustard Pickles

My family's favourite variation of the east coast favourite. A great way to use all those huge cucumbers from your garden. Goes great with holiday dinners, meat and potatoes or as a relish on burgers. The recipe came from the Prince Edward Island Women's Institute Cookbook from the 70's.

• Ready In: 1 hr 26 mins
• Yields: 8 pints (approx)

Ingredients

• 1  quart onion
• 2  quarts cucumbers
• 1  medium cauliflower
• 2  finely diced  sweet red peppers (optional-but makes adds nice colour) (optional)

• Sauce

• 3 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 2  tablespoons turmeric
• 2  tablespoons celery seeds
• 1⁄2 cup mustard powder
• 1  quart vinegar

• Pickling Bag

• 4  tablespoons  pickling spices

Directions

1. Peel and cut onions into medium sized pieces.
2. Peel cucumbers, remove seeds and centres.
3. Cut to desired size.
4. If cucumbers are green and not too ripe, skin may be left on.
5. Separate cauliflower into small flowerets.
6. Dice red peppers.
7. Make a brine to cover vegetables of 1/2 cup coarse salt to 1 quart water.
8. Add a pinch of alum and let stand overnight (up to 24 hours).
9. Then Drain vegetables and prepare sauce.
10. Pickling bag: put spice in 3-4 layers of cheescloth and close tightly with string or a knot.
11. set aside Boil 3 cups of the vinegar with 3 cups of the sugar and pickling spice bag for 1 minute.
12. Remove pickling spice bag and throw out.
13. Combine remaining sugar, remaining vinegar, flour, mustard powder, turmeric and celery seed and add to hot mixture.
14. Cook sauce until thick, continually stirring with whisk.
15. Add vegetables and cook slowly for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
16. Be careful not to scorch.
17. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars, while mixture is still hot.