Categories: chutney, pickles, relish
Ingredients
- 3 whole star anise
- 6 whole allspice berries
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp. pink or white peppercorns
- 1 bunch tarragon
- 1 medium fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup shallots, roughly chopped
- Rind from 2 oranges
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup lemon juice
- One 25. 4 oz. bottle sherry vinegar
- 2 cups water
- Salt
- 3 or 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into about 80 batons (each 2 inches long, 1/4 inch wide)
Directions
- In a small skillet over low heat, add the star anise, allspice, mustard seed, cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves and pink or white peppercorns and toast until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. On a large piece of cheesecloth, bundle the tarragon, fennel, shallots and orange rind. Add the toasted spices. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and fasten with kitchen twine to form a sachet. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over high het, bring the sugars, orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar, water and salt to taste to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to medium and add the sachet. Cook, with bubbles just breaking the surface, for 45 minutes. Add he sweet potatoes and cook 4 to 5 minutes until cooked but still slightly firm.
- Have ready a large bowl filled with ice water. Submerge the pot with the sweet potatoes in the ice bath and allow them to cool. When ready to serve, remove the sachet, drain and serve the pickled sweet potatoes at room temperature.