My Auntie Ella or Auntie La-la, as some of her nieces called her when they were young, makes a corn relish that is a family favorite and a perfect summer side dish. Its sweet and tangy flavor compliments grilled meat, seafood, burgers, hotdogs, sandwiches – just about anything! My mom actually prefers the relish all by itself and by the spoonfuls! Want to dress up a plain green salad? Just mound some of this relish on fresh greens and your salad is instantly more attractive and flavorful!
Corn Relish
Recipe from my Auntie Ella
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can Le Sueur peas, drained
2 11-ounce cans white shoepeg corn, drained
1 8-ounce can of cut green beans, drained
1 4-ounce jar of diced pimientos, drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
1. In a large bowl add the drained peas, shoepeg corn, green beans, and pimientos.
2. Add the chopped onion, celery, and green pepper to the bowl.
3. In a small bowl mix together the sugar, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour into the bowl of vegetables and stir gently.
4. Put seasoned vegetable mixture into a glass jar or other acid-resistant container and refrigerate overnight.
Linnell’s Notes:
1. Look for cans of Green Giant shoepeg corn.
2. For more color, instead of using canned green beans, I blanch fresh green beans in boiling water, dump them in an ice water bath, drain them well, and cut them up.
3. Auntie Ella likes to add diced fresh tomatoes instead of using diced pimientos.
4. This relish tastes so much better when the flavors have had a chance to meld, so make sure to refrigerate it for a while before serving.
5. For a little bit of kick, I add one-half finely diced fresh jalapeño pepper. My family wouldn’t mind if I added the whole pepper, though!
ENJOY!
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