Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 400 g green tomato, cored and finely diced
- 200 g granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced
- 100 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 10 g garlic, minced
- 10 g fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Liquids & Seasonings
- 150 ml apple cider vinegar
- 100 g raw cane sugar
- 5 g mustard seeds, whole yellow or brown
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g red pepper flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Dice the green tomatoes, apples, and onions into uniform half-centimeter pieces. Consistent knife work ensures the relish cooks evenly and provides a pleasing texture when used as a dip.
Combine the diced produce, garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar, cane sugar, mustard seeds, salt, and red pepper flakes in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon to distribute the spices.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, reaching approximately 100°C/212°F. Stir occasionally to prevent the sugar from scorching on the bottom.
Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer around 85°C/185°F. Cook uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The mixture is ready when the liquid has reduced to a thick, glossy syrup and the tomatoes are translucent.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the relish to cool to room temperature, around 20°C/68°F. Transfer the cooled relish into airtight jars.
Chef's Notes
- Green tomatoes and tart apples are naturally high in pectin. This acts as an organic thickening agent, binding the relish as it cools and eliminating the need for cornstarch or artificial thickeners.
- Always use non-reactive cookware, such as stainless steel, enamel, or glass, when cooking highly acidic ingredients like green tomatoes and vinegar. Aluminum or cast iron can react with the acid, imparting a metallic flavor and discoloring the food.
- While this relish is perfectly safe and delicious to eat immediately after cooling, allowing it to rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours will significantly deepen the flavors as the spices and vinegar harmonize.
- For a smoother texture that is ideal for spreading evenly on sandwiches or burgers, you can pulse the cooled relish in a food processor three to four times before transferring it to storage jars.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 month — Store in an airtight, sterilized glass jar. Flavor significantly improves after resting for 24 hours.
