Sweet and Snappy Zucchini Relish

Where has this been all my life?? When I came across this recipe while searching something along the lines of "What the heck should I do with all this zucchini", I thought hey, that sounds like a weird thing to give someone. So, I made it, canned it, tried it, and immediately asked myself how I had gone so many years without this delicious relish. It has a peppery, oniony, sweet, and tangy flavor that is so yummy!

8 cups zucchini, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
1 sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 cups cider vinegar
1.5 teaspoon dry mustard
1.5 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon tumeric
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Yield: about 9 half pints

Combine zucchini, onion, and pepper in large nonreactive bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons pickling salt. Mix well and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Drain through a sieve, pressing out excess water. Combine drained veggies, sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery seed, pepper flakes, and tumeric in a large pan. Boil for 15 minutes. Blend cornstarch and water, then add to the relish. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into hot jars, wipe rim, and seal. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

I will make this year after year. I admit that I ate a ton of this, just scooping it on crackers. It is very low calorie though (~11 calories/tablespoon), so enjoy!