PICKLE RELISH (about 1-½ cups)

2 cups finely chopped cucumber (about 3 Kirby cucumbers)

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ cup distilled white vinegar

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

1. Toss cucumber and onion with ¾ teaspoon salt in a sieve set over a bowl and drain 3 hours. Discard liquid from bowl. Wrap cucumber and onion in a kitchen towel (not terrycloth) and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

2. Bring vinegar, sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then boil until reduced to about ¼ cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cucumber- onion mixture and simmer, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir cornstarch mixture, then stir into relish. Simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer relish to a bowl and chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1-½ hours.

NOTE: Relish keeps, chilled, one month.

from Gourmet Magazine, June, 2009