When i was a child, one of my favourite things to eat was a McDonald’s Cheeseburger.  The worst thing – the pickle.  I goddamn hated those pickles.  Now, I love all sorts of pickles and this recipe for Piccalilli was a beauty!   It is super quick and super tasty.  And also very pretty with all it’s different colours.

I was inspired to make some pickles after a visit to Meatmaiden.  One of their entrees is a “Quick Pickled Heirloom Veg with Chilli and Goat Curd”.  These are just clean, fresh, , delicious and a perfect counterpoint to the meat, meat and more meat of the rest of the menu.

I found a recipe for a quick Piccalilli in Slow, one of the Tasty Reads Book Club books.

According to the fount of all knowledge, Wikipedia, Piccalilli is

“an English nterpretation of Indian pickles, a relish of chopped pickled vegetables and spices”

dating back to 1758.

But enough education.

You wouldn’t think that pickles were that contentious….but hooley dooley did this cause a commotion in la maison de la retro food.

“That’s not piccalilli,”  said the Fussiest Eater in the World.

“Is so” I said.

“Not like any I’ve ever seen” he muttered.

The thing is, he has only ever known piccalilli as this luridly coloured, mushed up kind of chunky paste in a jar. I have never been able to bring myself to taste this because to my eye it looks totally unappealing!

Piccalilli Recipe

I didn’t make the ham hock terrine but if you feel so inclined, this is a two for one!

I”m not sure where you fall on the spectrum of piccalilli, all I can say is this fresh version was delicious and even if you are a diehard lurid yellow stuff in a jar fan, it’s certainly worth a try!  And it might just change your mind!