Blueberry Relish

Recipe Courtesy of Fancy Pantry, Helen Witty

3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup water
About 9 cups firm-ripe blueberries, picked over, rinsed, and drained
1 1/2 cup cider vinegar
(Outer peel only, no white pith) of 2 oranges, cut into 3/4 inch wide strips
3 sticks (2 inches each) cinnamon, coarsely broken
1 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
Combine the sugar and 1 1/2 cup water in a preserving pan. Heat over medium heat to boiling; boil 1 minute. Add the blueberries and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook the mixture, uncovered, at a hard simmer just until the berries are broken, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Pour the berries into a sieve set over a large bowl and drain off the syrup. Set berries aside; return the syrup to the preserving pan.

Add the vinegar, orange peel, cinnamon, all spice, coriander, and cloves to the syrup and heat it to boiling over medium high heat. Boil the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the syrup registers 220 degrees or passes the jelly test, 3-5 minutes.

Add the blueberries to the syrup and mix gently. Ladle the boiling hot relish into hot, clean pint or half pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Seal with new two piece canning lids according to manufacturer's directions and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Cool label, and store the jars. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. (I have a feeling it won't last that long).

Good with chicken, duck, turkey, ham, and roast pork. Serve it with a snack of fresh, soft cheese and crisp crackers. Because the berries are cooked only a short time. The relish has the consistency of a preserve, not a jam.

I cut the recipe in half. I used ground allspice instead of whole and used ground cloves, only a dash of as Keith does not like the taste of cloves. The recipe suggests you cook the syrup until it registers 220 degrees however, I only cooked it to 200 degrees as I was afraid it would burn with half the recipe.

When I was cooking the relish Keith walked in as I was adding the cider vinegar and said, "What is that smell?" It is strong and will boil off yet, the house still has a lingering smell of vinegar. After I ladled the relish into the jars I tasted what was left on the bottom of the pan and yum. Now I'm sorry I didn't make the whole recipe. My plan is to take the relish to our condo next week and share it with my friends, if I don't eat it all first. This recipe is definitely a keeper and I will make it again soon.

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