Lars' favorite basic Piccalili recipe (pickle relish)

I, like my Grandmother, have a basic recipe that varies with the availability of the vegetables and the mood of the maker. The Zucchini can be replaced or supplemented with cucumbers, green tomatoes, yellow crookneck squash, fresh corn cut from the cob, all kinds of things. I personally do not like the flavor imparted from cabbage type things including broccoli and cauliflower.
The red bell pepper is for color only and can be used in any quantity, as can carrots and yellow or orange peppers.
For flavor variations you can add garlic, grated orange or lemon rind, cranberries, fresh or dried fruit such as apricots or plums, even peaches or apples, though it does become more of a chutney then, which is also very good. The possibilities are limited only by imagination.

The only real rule is that there should be about 14 cups of coarsely ground veggies. More or less.

Serving suggestions; serve it on hamburgers, hotdogs, with chicken and turkey, beef, pork, any thing that would, or could, taste good with a sweet/ sour pickle condiment. I always put some in my potatoe or macaroni salad. Geoff puts some in salad dressings or his "secret sauces" for hamburgers and such.
The two of us go through about 12 to 14 pints a year.

O.K. ., the recipe, very basically;
makes about 7 pints.

4 stalks celery
10 cups zucchini, this is after grinding.
4 large onions
1 sweet red bell pepper
1/2 cup pickling salt

Grind vegetables and mix well with salt in a non-metallic container and let set, covered overnight. Drain and rinse well, squeezing out excess moisture, ( not so much, squeeze lightly, don't worry about squeezing it dry)
Bring
3 cups vinegar
3 1/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsps. celery seed
2 1/2 tsps. mustard seed
and, 2 tsps. tumeric
to a boil, add veggies and remove from heat. Let stand for 2 hours. Return to heat and bring to boil. Add 2 Tbsps. cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup vinegar and simmer for 15 minutes.
Put in sterilized pint jars, sealing with lids according to manufacturers directions and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.

This years batch has black mustard seeds and a few Jalapeno peppers in it. It has a nice bite to it.