The Complete Book of Pickling: 250 Recipes from Pickles and Relishes to Chutneys and Salsas
Starred Review. Home economist MacKenzie (The Dehydrator Bible, Complete Curry Cookbook) gives kitchen canners plenty of reasons to get their water boiling in this terrific collection of 250 pickles, sauces, chutneys and relishes. After a thorough explanation of canning techniques, MacKenzie rolls up her sleeves and gets to work with seven variations on dill. In addition to popular pickling candidates like cauliflower, carrots and garlic, MacKenzie shows readers how the technique can be applied to sweet foods like cherries, peaches and pineapple, as well as the ultimate DIY for the avid pickler, canner or drinker: martini olives (brine-cured green olives married with gin and dry vermouth). Even readers without an appreciation for the tang of a good pickle will appreciate MacKenzie's 50 chutneys, including variations such as Sangria Citrus, classic cranberry and peach, pineapple ginger and spiced tomato; six chili sauces; 18 salsas; and home-made ketchup. If the prospect of keeping five pints of taco sauce on hand is intimidating, MacKenzie at least offers preserving methods for all the recipes, as well as suggestions for complementary dishes.